


Knowledge

by OpalSpirit



Series: Across Time [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Avengers - Freeform, Cousins, Dad!Tony, Dark Elves, F/M, Family, Father-Daughter Relationship, Helheimr | Hel (Realm), Lang Leav, Light Angst, Light Elves, Marvel Universe, Realm Hopping, Reincarnation, Romance, SHIELD, Thor: The Dark World, Tragic Romance, beau taplin, slight AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-03
Updated: 2019-05-09
Packaged: 2020-02-16 14:07:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 43,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18693052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OpalSpirit/pseuds/OpalSpirit
Summary: "Come with me," he whispered, but she shook her head."You know I can't. My father would be furious."~ ~ ~It was a spur of the moment decision. A decision that led Tony's quiet and recluse daughter to find herself onboard the Helicarrier. Suddenly surrounded by people she doesn't know, she seeks comfort in the book she carries with her and in the one person that could take from her, everything she has ever known.However, when it is time for him to face punishment for his crimes against her world, she makes a promise. A promise that changes her life and ultimately decides her fate.





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You enchant me. Do you understand? I cannot resist you at all. I writhe and dance to your every command like a cobra captivated by a snake charmer’s spell. You consume me absolutely, heart to mind, and breath to bone. Every thought, every action, every pulse, is yours.” ~ Beau Taplin (The Snake Charmer)

 

 

Of all the places Y/N Stark had been to, Scandinavia remained at the top of the list of her favourites. It was indeed fortunate that her studies had allowed her to travel to some truly amazing and historic places.

Having spent the best part of three months in Norway, Y/N had taken advantage of one of the University Libraries. Primarily the University of Oslo, which was also open to the public. Y/N soon spent her days surrounded by piles of books, some in English, but most in Norwegian.

It was on one such day that her phone rang, causing her to kick the pile of books before her in surprise and drop the book she was reading. Looking around to make sure no one had seen her little mishap, she looked to see who was calling.  
“Dad?”

“Yes honey, who else would it be?” Tony Stark addressed his daughter in mock exasperation.

Y/N laughed as quietly as she could. “Mum sometimes rings via you,” she could just picture his face.

“Why are you whispering?”

Biting her lip, Y/N glanced around and saw she was alone, “I’m in a library Dad.”

“You’re always in a library!”

Y/N grinned, that much was true. Either that, or she was in a book store. “Libraries are part of my studies Dad..or have you forgotten?”

“I will never understand why you chose that path but hey! If you’re passion’s there, what more could you want.”

Y/N smiled to herself, many thought she would follow in her father’s footsteps and were very surprised when she announced that she would be going to College to study Librarianship. Y/N was the bookworm of the family and devoured any book that was within reaching distance.

“I don’t wanna sound rude Dad, but why did you call? Is everything ok at home?”

“Everything’s fine sweetheart,” her father’s voice reassured her over the phone.

“You want me to come home don’t you?”

“You know how your mother worries.”

Y/N nodded to herself, that she did. Her mother, while being very supportive, still worried incessantly whenever her daughter was out of the country for more than two weeks. “You can tell Mum, that I’ll be making plans to leave by the end of the week.”

Tony paused a little before answering, “shall I send the jet over?”

Shaking her head, Y/N ran her free hand through her Y/F/C hair and laughed. “Thanks for the offer Dad, but I think I’ll take a normal plane with everyone else.”

“If you’re sure?”

She nodded as though he could see her, “one hundred percent.”

“Send us your flight info so we can meet you when you arrive yeah?”

Her smile never faltered, “of course Dad, as soon as I know, so will you and Mum.”

“Much appreciated honey, so I guess we’ll be seeing you soon then?”

“Very soon Dad.”

~ ~ ~

Y/N read for most of the journey home. Her nose was buried in a book of Nordic folklore. While she knew they were all merely stories, a part of her was still fascinated. Her e/c eyes drank in the information in front of her. Her eyes lingered on the sections where the Nordic deities were mentioned. Mythical deities from any culture interested her but these held a certain kind of appeal.

It was only when the voice over the intercom notified the passengers that they were about to land, did Y/N’s focus divert from her book.

Before she knew it, Y/N was walking out of the Arrivals gate and was enveloped in one of her mother’s notorious hugs. “Hi Mum.” She couldn’t help but hug her back.

“Oh sweetie, it’s so good to have you back,” Pepper murmured into her daughter’s hair.

Gently pulling away, Y/N turned to face her father. “Hi Dad.” She was rewarded with a small smile.

“Welcome back,” Tony reached out and shook her hand before pulling her into a hug. “It’s good to see you kid.”

~ ~ ~

“Wow!” Was all Y/N could say as she exited the elevator. Her parents never ceased to amaze her. Before her was a fully furnished living space on what appeared to be the top most floor of Stark Tower. While Y/N had never been one for heights, she had to admit, the view of New York from where she stood, was breathtaking.

“Beautiful isn’t it?” Her father came up beside her.

Nodding wordlessly, Y/N agreed. It was only when her mother passed her a glass of champagne, did Y/N snap out of the awe-filled trance she had fallen into. A little confused, she turned to look at her mother.

“In celebration,” her mother said in answer to her daughter’s silent question. “In celebration of the completion of the tower.”

Clinking glasses with her parents, Y/N was about to take a sip when they were interrupted. All but glaring at the intruder, a middle-aged man, Y/N commenced drinking.

“Phil, welcome,” her mother got up to welcome their unexpected guest.

Exchanging a look with her father, Y/N began to wonder just who this ‘Phil’ was and how her mother seemed to know him so well.

“Since when is he ‘Phil’?” Her father seemed equally confused. The look Pepper sent him seemed to convey the required explanation.

Y/N watched the rest of the exchange between Phil and her parents in silence. Her eyes flittered between the three of them and then finally landed on the black object her father was given, via her mother.

Curiosity overcame her, so Y/N moved to stand beside her father who stood by a desk of sorts. “Dad? What is that?”

“I’m not too sure,” Tony murmured, half to her and half to himself. “Whatever it is, it can’t be good.” As he opened it, Y/N gasped. Before them flickered images and videos of people she had never seen before causing unimaginable havoc.

“Dad?”

Tony answered her by throwing the images up onto the windows. Amazed, Y/N made her way to the windows and looked at each of the people in turn, her eyes not lingering more than a few seconds. That is, until she came to one of a raven haired man.

Y/N’s e/c eyes lingered longer than they had on the others. There was something about this man that seemed familiar. “Dad?” Her voice sounded far away, even to her own ears.

“Yes?” Tony came and stood beside his daughter. Her tone had drawn his attention away from his study of the other images.

“Who is that ?” Lifting a hand, Y/N pointed to the image of the dark haired man.

Leaning in, Tony narrowed his eyes, “I can’t say I’ve ever seen him before, why?” He turned to face Y/N, whose eyes seemed glued to the image before her.

“I don’t know, he seems familiar somehow, like I’ve seen him before.”

Her words surprised him. “You know him?”

“No, but,” Y/N trailed off, her head was tilted to one side and her eyes were distant.

“Hello in there,” Tony waved a hand in front of her eyes, “earth to Y/N.”

‘Sorry,” blinking, she tore her eyes away and looked at her father and smiled apologetically.

“No worries kid, you just went a little distant for a bit.” Tony patted her on the arm and moved to the desk behind them. His movements not going unnoticed.

“Dad? Is everything alright?”

“Yeah. Just gotta go outta town for a bit.”

Crossing her arms, Y/N narrowed her eyes at her father’s back. “You’re going to join them aren’t you? These ‘Avengers’.”

Sighing, Tony turned to face her. “I see there’s point in lying to you. I’ve been called in by a security agency. The head of this organisation, Nick Fury, wants the whole group together before giving us any more details.”

“Take me with you.” The words came out of her mouth before she could stop them.

“What?” Her father seemed more confused than shocked.

“You always want me to ‘get out of my shell’,” shrugging, Y/N continued, “maybe this could help.”

“Honey,” Tony moved to stand directly in front of her, “this could be very dangerous. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you. Nor would your mother for that matter.”

“Dad please! I promise I won’t get in the way or get into any trouble.” Her voice took on a begging tone, one that Tony was not accustomed to. “You know what they say...’no time like the present’’.

“Alright, fine, you can come, but you must always tell me if you decide to go anywhere.”

Y/N raised a elegantly-shaped brow.

“I will need to know where you are at all times, is that understood?” Looking his daughter in the eye, Tony smiled, “I know you can take care of yourself but still..its for peace of mind, for me and your mother. Who, by the way is going to murder me when she finds out.”

Y/N couldn’t help but laugh. “You tend to exaggerate sometimes Dad.”

“Y/N. Do you promise?”

Nodding, Y/N grinned, “of course.”

~ ~ ~

The hellicarrier was unlike anything Y/N had ever seen. It was huge and made her feel smaller than she already was. Following her father, she soon came to what seemed like the control centre for the vessel.

Clutching her favourite book to her chest, Y/N drank in every detail and almost shrieked in surprise when a voice spoke from behind her. “Pretty amazing isn’t it?”

Turning around, Y/N came face-to-face with a young-ish looking man with short dark blonde hair. Nodding, she agreed with him, “it sure is.”

“You’re Stark’s kid aren’t you?”

Y/N smiled slightly, “that’s me. What gave it away?”

“He talks about you sometimes.”

‘Oh,” she didn’t quite know how to take that. “Thanks, I guess.”

“I’m Steve by the way,” the young man held out a hand, “Steve Rogers.”

Reaching out, Y/N shook the offered hand. “Y/N Stark.”

“It’s nice to finally meet you Miss Stark.”

Y/N opened her mouth to reply when a tall dark skinned man addressed the small group that had gathered.

Y/N gravitated towards her father and eyed the rest of the group. A young woman with short red hair and a middle-aged man with glasses made the number up to four. She heard hardly a word as her eyes took in her father’s team members. The woman was dressed in a skin-tight black suit and her red hair was cut in a bob just above her shoulders. The man with glasses seemed a little on edge, almost as though he didn’t really want to be there.

“One of our best agents is now under his control. It is paramount that both he and the Tesseract are located as quickly as possibl-” the man’s words were cut off by the excited voice of one of the crew members.

“We have a match! We’ve found him Sir.”

Curious to see just who he was, Y/N followed the dark skinned man to one of the control screen and had to blink to make sure she wasn’t imagining things. There he was, the raven-haired man from the photos she had seen back at Stark Tower. Just who was he?

“Captain, looks like you’re up.”

No amount of begging or pleading got her father to change his mind. “Y/N I can’t let you come with us. I’m pushing things as it is. I need you to stay here, I’ll be back soon honey, don’t you worry.”

Y/N had no idea where this sudden urge to go out and do things came from. Usually she would have been quite pleased if she could stay back. She knew that nothing could changer her father’s mind once it was made up.

Watching one of the numerous jets take off, Y/N’s mind wandered back to the man in the photos. Why did she feel like she had seen him before? She hoped and wandered if maybe the answer lay in some of the books she had brought with her.

Moments later, Y/N was seated on the small bed in the quarters she’d been given. She had unpacked all the books she had brought and was rifling through them in hopes of finding an answer to her question.

Hours passed before she finally gave up. Gently pushing some of her books to the side, Y/N curled up on the small bed and promptly fell asleep.

~ ~ ~

“Y/N? Sweetheart?”

Blinking awake, Y/N saw her father kneeling by her bed and smiling gently at her.

“You’re back,” her voice was still heavy with sleep.

“And you were asleep,” her father teased. “You’ve been reading again haven’t you?”

Nodding, Y/N moved to sit up and rubbed her eyes while trying to stifle a yawn. “Dad?”

“Mmm?”

“Can I explore the ship, just you know, so I know where everything is?”

Her question caught Tony off guard and it took him a while before he answered. “I don’t see why not. But Y/N there will be areas that you won’t be allowed to go, promise me that you won’t go to those areas.”

“I promise Dad. Besides, I’ve never really been one for adventure have I ?” A mischievous grin followed her words.

After her father left, Y/N looked around for her favourite book. She never went anywhere without it, she felt bare and exposed if she did. Leaving her room, Y/N wandered down the empty corridor and went down a few elevators and eventually came to what she perceived to be the bottom of the vessel.

Ducking numerous pipes and walking over a few, Y/N’s interest grew. Coming to a small passageway, her attention was caught by movement. Curious to see who it was, Y/N moved closer and soon came to what appeared to be a huge glass case at the end of a small path.

Loki stopped his pacing when the sound of approaching footsteps could be heard. These were different, they were lighter and little more unsure.

Turning around he came face-to-face with a young woman. She was as still as a statue and was looking at him with thinly veiled curiosity. Her h/l Y/F/C hair was pulled away from her face in a messy bun. Her slender arms were hugging a book close to her chest as though it were her life-line. The right side of her face was slightly red and her eyes looked a little tired, as though she had just woken up.

“Hello,” her gentle voice pulled him from his silent observation. As his emerald eyes met her e/c ones, she smiled warmly. An expression that caught him off guard.

“What do you want?”

The coldness of the question did nothing to deter Y/N. Here he was, the man from the photos. His black hair lightly brushed his shoulders and his eyes were such a deep green, she almost thought he was wearing contacts. What he wore seemed to be from a bygone era, with intricate patterns in the metal on his shoulder and on the belt that was slung across his chest.

“It’s so beautiful,” she murmured to herself.

“What is?”

The question pulled her eyes away from their observation. “What you’re wearing. It’s very beautiful.”

This statement was the last thing he expected to hear. The young woman didn’t seem the least bit afraid of him. Did she perhaps not know who he was or what he had done? “Who are you?”

“Oh forgive me,” Y/N felt heat creep up her neck and ducked her head in an effort to hide it. “I’m Y/N.”

“Y/N,” he murmured. Clearing his features and adjusting his posture, he looked at her, her eyes were still directed to the floor. “I am Loki of Asgard.”

Y/N felt her eyes widen and her head jerked up to look at him. “I-I’m sorry?” It couldn’t be! She remembered reading about him in numerous books back in Norway. Her eyes widened a second time as realisation slammed into her. That’s why he seemed so familiar, she’d read about him in such detail, it was as if she’d been looking at a life-like painting.

Her stuttered response made him smile. Much better. But that smile faded as he caught the look in her wide eyes. There was no fear, only amazement and disbelief.  
“I’ve read about you, you know.” She sounded almost a little shy as she looked at him through her lashes.

“You’ve read about me?” Gone was the coldness, replaced by curiosity.

Smiling, Y/N nodded. “You and your brother.”

Usually the mention of his brother angered him, but the way this young woman spoke about him, it was clear that his brother came second in her eyes, not the other way round.

~ ~ ~

Y/N had never once lied to her parents. She never had cause to. But now, as her father asked her if she’d found anything interesting during her little exploration, she found that the truth stuck in her throat, not wanting to come out. So, looking her father in the eye, she shook her head, “nothing aside from pipes and little metal pathways.”  
If her father believed her or not, she had no way of truly telling. He simply nodded and smiled before leaving to go back to the lab he had been provided with.  
Waiting until she heard his footsteps fade down the hallway, she poked her head out the door to make sure the coast was clear. Quietly closing the door behind her, Y/N went in the opposite direction to her father.

It didn’t take her long to find her way back to the detention level. “Hello again,” she spoke a little louder this time.

Loki turned at the sound of her voice. She was back. This time, as he faced her, the previous shyness was gone, and her eyes seemed to sparkle with unasked questions. His eyes were drawn to the book that she carried with her. “That book, it is important to you?”

Smiling, Y/N nodded. “It’s my favourite. I keep it with me at all times. I know, it’s childish but,” biting her lip, she looked down at the book, “I feel exposed and vulnerable without it.”

Loki didn’t miss the way she looked at the book in her arms. “It is not childish, not in the least.” The way her thumbs traced gentle circles on the book’s cover reminded him of how he’d held and treated the books he’d had back in Asgard.

Looking up, Y/N smiled at him. The words sounded so genuine and she detected no trace of the coldness from their previous conversation.

“You like to read?”

Y/N almost laughed. The amount of times she’d been asked that question were too many to be counted on two hands. “Yes. I do. If you ask my parents, they would say I spend more time reading than in the company of actual people.”

That phrase had been used to describe him on more than one occasion. For the first time, the Silvertongued Prince was struck speechless. Before him stood a mortal who bore such striking similarities to him that he almost thought he was imagining it all.

“Oh dear,” her soft voice brought him out of his thoughts. “I’ve been rambling again. Saying too much. I should go.” She turned and made to leave when his voice stopped her.

“Don’t go.”

Turning to face him, she was greeted with a small, almost hopeful smile. “Will you stay?”

Y/N answered with a smile of her own and cocked her head to the side. “Are you sure?”

~ ~ ~

“Nat? Have you seen Y/N? I’ve checked her room but she’s not there.” Tony ran a hand through his hair. The last time he’d seen his daughter, she was sitting cross-legged on her bed with a book open.

“I passed her in the hall a little while ago,” the young Russian answered while studiously cleaning one of her numerous blades.  
“Where was she headed?”

“Don’t know,” Nat murmured, squinting at the metal, “I didn’t think to ask.”

Sighing, Tony turned to Thor, who stood nearby, “you, Point Break, have you seen her?”

“Who is she?” Thor asked, a little confused. He had, as yet, not met anyone with the name Y/N.

“She’s my daughter.”

“You have a daughter Stark?!” Thor exclaimed, surprise colouring the words.

“Yes,” Tony answered with some exasperation, “and now I can’t seem to find her.”

“Relax Stark,” Thor clapped him on the shoulder, “we are in the air. She can’t have gone far.”

~ ~ ~

“So,” Y/N bit her lip and held the book a little closer, “can you really do magic? Or was that just the writer’s imaginations?”

Pride took over, “of course I can. Those mortals would never have had the mental capacity to think up something like that!”

Y/N smirked and inched a little closer to the glass that separated them. “Co-could you maybe show me?”

“I don’t do tricks!” There it was, the haughty tone of a royal.

Backing away from the glass, Y/N feigned defeat. “I apologise. I was wrong to ask something of you that you obviously aren’t ready for. My mistake.” Turning around, she grinned to herself and had to bite her lip to keep from laughing.

“Mortals.”

Stopping short, Y/N looked up and saw him standing in front of her. Her jaw hit the floor before she burst out laughing, much to his confusion.

“What is so funny?”

Taking a deep breath, Y/N composed herself and met his emerald gaze. “I played to your ego and that you would just love to prove me wrong.”

“My ego hmm?” A dangerous edge coated the words.

Nodding, Y/N answered. “Indeed.” She narrowed her eyes at him as he slowly moved closer. Unconsciously, her feet moved back the more he advanced and soon the cold glass was pressed against her back.

“You think you can play games with me little mortal?” Loki bent slightly and whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

“I thought you liked games,” Y/N barely managed to answer. Her breathing hitched as she felt him trace the side of her face lightly with one hand.

Loki opened his mouth to answer when a noise nearby caused him to pull away and disappear back through the glass.

Confused, Y/N blinked and looked behind her and saw him in the cell. “You could have escaped, why didn’t you?”

She never got an answer as the sound of approaching footsteps caused her to bolt.

~ ~ ~

Tony finally found her with her nose in a book, sitting quietly by the table by the main control hub for the hellicarrier. Upon closer inspection, he saw that it was her favourite book, the one she took everywhere.

“There you are,” he didn’t bother to hide his relief.

“Mm?” Her mind was half in the book and half in reality.

“I was looking everywhere for you.”

“Well,” closing her book, Y/N turned to face her father. “Here I am.”

“Here you are indeed. Where were you all that time?”

Swallowing, Y/N looked her father in the eye. “I was on deck. I wanted to see what it looked like during the day. The last time I saw it was at night when you and the others went on that mission.” She fervently hoped she sounded convincing.

“I wander why the deck hands didn’t tell me you were there.”

Standing up, Y/N smiled up at her father, “they most likely didn’t know you were looking for me, otherwise I’m sure they would have notified me.” She didn’t know where this sudden ease at lying came from.

“Mmm, I suppose so.”

“Well, I’m gonna go and try and get some sleep.” Standing slightly on her tip-toes, Y/N kissed her father on the cheek.

“Ok kid, I’ll be in the lab if you need anything.”

Nodding, Y/N slipped from the room and headed to her quarters.

Watching her go, Tony smiled. Y/N was so different in so many ways and yet he wouldn’t have her any other way. She would always be his little girl, no matter how old she really was.

Try as she might, Y/N could not get to sleep. She tossed and turned for what felt like hours. Every time she closed her eyes, twin green orbs stared back at her. Her unanswered question didn’t make things any easier either.

Eventually giving up, she threw the covers aside and grabbing her book, she left the room, her body seemed to be on autopilot as she soon found herself heading down.

“You didn’t answer my question.” She saw no point in wasting any time.

Rising from where he had been sitting, Loki moved towards her and smirked. “You were the one that quite literally ran, not me.” His green eyes swept over her, she must have just woken up, her hair was tangled and her clothing had certainly seen smoother days.

Taking a step closer, Y/N sighed heavily.

“What is it?” His gentle tone drew her eyes to his.

“I lied to my Dad, twice.” Saying it seemed to lift a certain weight from her chest.

“Why?”

“That’s just it,” her e/c eyes were sad and tired. “I don’t know.”

“What was it about?”

Biting her lip, Y/N looked down at her book. “My Dad doesn’t know I’m down here. He’s asked me twice where I’ve been and twice I passed up on the truth.”

This made Loki curious. She had lied about being down here with him? Why would she do something like that? Yet, he couldn’t deny that it added a certain thrill to his situation. Why would she take risks for him when no one else did?

“Come now young one. You have managed to do something that only a few have managed to do.”

“Oh? And what might that be?”

“You snuck up on me. Before you even knew who I was.”

Y/N smiled and nodded, “yet you heard me.”

“This is really bothering you isn’t it?” Genuine concern laced his words and surprised even him. “Lying to your father?”

A short laugh escaped her. “We’ve only known each other a little less than a day and already it’s as if you can read my mind.”

“Some things don’t need a lot of time.”

It was something in the way he spoke those words that caught her attention and made her heart skip a beat.

~ ~ ~

“You may want to keep a closer eye on your daughter Tony,” Bruce remarked as he returned to the lab he shared with the former.

“How’d you mean?”

“Oh,” Bruce stopped by one of the computers and began entering data. “It’s just that on my way here, I saw her head down to the detention level where he is.”

This was enough for Tony. Practically leaping up from his workstation, he bolted from the lab.

After many twists and turns, the sound of voices floated out to him. One distinctly female.

“Maybe I should just tell him, you know.”

“Now where would be the fun in that?” The voice that answered was male and sent unpleasant shivers down Tony’s spine.

“You wouldn’t say that if you knew my father.”

“Something tells me you haven’t done this before.”

Tony heard Y/N laugh in response. “What? Lie? I’m proud to say that I have never done it before. I have never had cause to.”

“And suddenly you do?”

There was a pause before Y/N answered, so softly that Tony had to strain to hear. “I think so.”

Before her companion could answer, Tony stepped from the shadows and into the passageway.

~ ~ ~

“You,” Loki hissed as he spotted the newcomer.

Y/N, confused as to his sudden change in behaviour turned to face whoever it was. Her eyes widened and she felt all the blood drain from her face.

“Stay away from her,” Tony spoke as he moved closer.

“Dad, please-” Y/N stepped between them.

“He’s your father?” The words were whispered but held a dangerous amount of venom.

Turning her back on her father, Y/N swallowed as she met Loki’s hard emerald gaze. “Yes.”

“LIAR.”

Y/N recoiled almost instantly.

Any kindness had vanished from the eyes that now glared down at her. “You lied to me. You said you never lied but you have. You are just like the rest of them. Weak, and useless.”

Shaking her head, Y/N fought back tears. “You don’t mean that.”

“Oh but I do,” a nasty grin contorted his features. “I mean every word.” It was with those words that he saw fear enter her eyes.

Y/N turned and ran, away from him and away from her father. For the first time in her life, she was truly afraid of someone. His ability to switch from genuine to threatening scared her.

She headed straight for her quarters and hurled herself into bed and cried until no tears came and sleep took over.

~ ~ ~

It was strangely satisfying watching his brother fall from view in the glass cell that he had occupied only minutes before.

Feeling rather pleased with himself, Loki turned to leave, when a sudden blast from his right sent him flying into the opposite wall.

Dazed and disorientated, he shook his head to clear it and slowly made his away out of the hole he had created, not sure if he had any significant injuries. Walking past the now-dead agent who was responsible for the previous blast, Loki started running in the direction of the nearest exit when a strange thought entered his mind, causing him to skid to a stop and change direction.

~ ~ ~

Y/N was woken by a soft knocking on her door. “I’m coming,” her voice was heavy with sleep. Getting up, she padded to the door and opened it only to retreat again.

“Y/N,” the way he said her name almost made her forget his previous words.

Shaking her head, she retreated as far as she could.

Loki used to believe that fear was a good thing, but as he saw it in her eyes, he knew he had never been more wrong. Gone was the sparkle he had grown used to, gone was the warm smile he was always greeted with.

“Y/N?”

“Don’t, please,” her voice was soft and she seemed to be cowering, as though he would lash out again.

“You’re finally afraid of me?”

Y/N nodded and looked down.

He should have been happy. But no such feeling came. “I was wrong.”

Those three words made her look up, “about what?”

“You’re not like the others of your kind.”

Y/N narrowed her eyes, what exactly was he playing at? “Loki, don’t say anything you don’t mean.”

“You said earlier that I never answered your question.”

“Don’t.” She sounded as though she was afraid of the answer.

“I had no answer at the time.”

“But you do now?”

The Silvertongued Prince nodded. “Yes.”

“Well,” Y/N wrapped her arms around herself, “what is it?”

“You.”

Blinking, she stared at him. “What are you playing at? Why do you mock me so?”

“I do not mock you,” taking a deep breath, Loki edged closer, the scepter hanging forgotten in his hand. “You are the first being in this entire realm to look at me with something other than fear and loathing. You were the first to speak to me without fear or prejudice holding you back. You are braver than that whole team put together.”

Y/N had no idea what to say, she simply stood there and stared. “You really mean that?” She relieved to find her voice again.

He moved closer until he was less than an arm’s length away. “I have never meant anything more in my entire life.”

“Loki-”

“Hush,” he whispered as he gently lifted her chin and pressed his lips to hers in a chaste kiss.

It took Y/N by surprise but she would have been lying to herself if she said she didn’t want it.

The two broke apart when their lungs demanded air.

“You had better go before they find you in here,” her e/c eyes sparkled mischievously and she grinned.

“Come with me,” he whispered but she shook her head.

“You know I can’t. My father would be furious.”

“I could deal with your father.”

“You will do no such thing,” she laughed and nudged him in the direction of the door. “Now go before they catch you.”

Turning to face her, he gently kissed her a second time and rested his forehead against hers. “Farewell then,” he moved to look her in the eye, “my Queen.”

“Farewell,” Y/N fought against the tears that threatened to fall, “my King.”

“I will return for you, I promise.”

Y/N smiled, never in her life had she believed someone more.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I don’t know what’s going to happen to us. I cannot read stars or converse with The Fates but I do know this: I’m all in, Here and Now, until I’m dead in the dirt. No matter how difficult it gets, or how desperately the world tries to tear us apart, I’ll be yours.” ~ Beau Taplin (Certainty)

A soft knock on her door caused Y/N to look up from her book. “Coming.” Sighing, she placed a bookmark in the book and put it to the side before getting up.

Upon opening the door, Y/N expected to see her father. Instead, she was greeted with the sight of four S.H.I.E.L.D agents. “Hello. Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Yes,” one of the agents answered and stepped forward, “Director Fury wants to see you. You need to come with us.”

Y/N narrowed her eyes in confusion. Why didn’t her father just come and collect her? “Have I done something wrong?”

“He wants to ask you some questions Miss, that is all. Now, please come with us.”

Seeing that she wouldn’t be able to get any more answers out of them, she sighed and stepped out of the room and was immediately surrounded by the four agents. As they made their way down numerous hallways, Y/N felt as though she was being merely pulled along by her ‘escorts’, her mind was going down every avenue trying to figure out her situation.

Finally they came to a halt in front of a rather plain looking door. One of the agents pushed the door open and gestured for Y/N to enter. “The Director will be along shortly.”

Nodding, Y/N stepped into the room and jumped a little when the door was closed behind her. Looking around, her e/c eyes scanned the room. It was bare save for a table in the centre and two chairs facing each other on opposite sides of the table. There were no windows or lights save for the one that hung from the middle of the ceiling.

“This can’t be good,” Y/N murmured to herself. Curious, she walked to the door and tried the handle. The door was locked. “Lovely.” Moving away from the door, she pulled a chair out and sat down and promptly rested her head on the table and closed her eyes.

~ ~ ~

“Are you sure this is such a good idea?” Steve glanced at his teammates.

“If Tony’s right,” Nat spoke up, “then Y/N is the only one that might have a lead on where Loki might be.”

“And right now, we need all the information we can get.” Tony spoke from the back of the group and everyone turned to him in surprise.

“She’s your daughter Tony.”

“I know,” sighing, he turned away from the group, “that just makes this all the more difficult.”

“Well,” Clint piped up, “let’s get this over and done with. The sooner we find him the better.” Everyone nodded in agreement.

~ ~ ~

Y/N was jolted awake at the sound of a door closing. Sitting up, she blinked while taking in the newcomer.

Nick Fury pulled out the chair opposite her and sat down. “Miss Stark, I wish I could say it was a pleasure.”

“Likewise,” smoothing her Y/F/C hair away from her eyes, Y/N glanced at her visitor. “Why am I here?”

“I need answers to some difficult questions and I have been led to believe that you could provide those answers.”

Sighing heavily, Y/N smiled, “ask away.”

“Are you familiar with a person named Loki?”

Closing her eyes, Y/N bit her lip and looked down. When she looked up, a small smile graced her features. “Of course I am.”

“You are?” Fury was surprised, maybe this wouldn’t take as long as they had initially thought.

“Yeah.” The smile widened into a smirk. “I’ve read quite a few books where he’s mentioned. He’s not very popular in Norse mythology.”

“Have you ever met him?”

“Now what’s that for a question,” Y/N raised an elegantly shaped brow. “Of course I haven’t. I’ve only ever read about him. I mean, I’d like to meet him, he was always a favourite of mine. But that’s never gonna happen.”

“Is that so?”

Y/N nodded, “yep.”

“And why is that?”

“Quite simply because,” Y/N shifted slightly in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. She had forgotten her book. “He’s not real. Simply a myth made up by people who lived long ago.”

Nick Fury was beginning to think she may not be quite with it. “Well, Miss Stark. I have news for you.”

“You do?” She cocked her head to the side.

“Yes.” Reaching into his coat pocket, Fury pulled out a photograph and placed it on the table. “He’s quite real. Have you seen him before?”

Instead of answering, Y/N leant forward and gently pulled the photo closer. Her eyes scanned the image and smiled slightly.

“Miss Stark?”

“Yes?” Tearing her eyes away, she looked up at the Director.

“Have you seen this man before?”

Briefly closing her eyes, Y/N licked her lips. “Yes. I saw him back when my father was first recruited to be part of that team of yours.”

“You saw him?”

“Yes,” sighing, Y/N ran a hand through her hair. “My father was given something black and that had images in it. His was included.”

“Did you ever speak with this man?”

The smirk came back. “Now why would I do something like that? He’s obviously a dangerous person, so why would I want anything to do with him?”

“Security footage suggests otherwise.” Fury watched closely for her reaction.

“How do you know its real?” Leaning back in her chair, Y/N smiled charmingly at the Director. Her heart rate picked up, there had been cameras?

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Fury narrowed his eyes at the young woman.

“Director,” leaning forward, Y/N looked him in the eye. “If you know anything about this man, then you’ll know that he is a master of creating illusions. So what I’m saying is, how do you it’s actually me in the footage?”

“Because it looks pretty damn real.”

Chuckling, Y/N shook her head. “Then he tricked you pretty good.”

“If what you’re saying is true, then why did he pick you?”

“Good question,” Y/N eyed her companion. “From what I know of him, he detests humans, so why would he want anything to do with me? Why would he want to associate himself with me? Why go through all the trouble of creating an illusion with the two of us in it? I’ll tell you why. Because that’s what he does, make trouble and causes chaos. Have you ever thought that maybe he wanted all of this to happen? For you to see the security footage and then drag an unsuspecting me in here to interrogate while he was left to carry out whatever he had planned? Has that ever crossed your mind? Besides,” she got up and pushed her chair in before leaning on it. “I am just a mere human in his eyes, what could I possibly mean to him?”

Fury said nothing for what seemed like hours. Then he too got up. “Then explain this.” Pulling a device out of his breast pocket, he lightly tapped the screen before holding it out to her.

Y/N’s hand trembled slightly as she took the device and looked down at the screen.

She saw her room and two figures whom she immediately recognised. They appeared to be quite close to one another. She saw herself nudge him towards the door before he turned to kiss her a second time. _“Farewell then, my Queen.”_ Y/N heard herself reply, _“farewell, my King.”_ She fought back tears as she had then when he said, _“I will return for you, I promise.”_

Shakily handing the device back, Y/N retreated a little before looking up. “I have nothing to say to you.”

“When he comes for you,” Fury met her gaze, “we will be ready for him.”

Y/N’s eyes widened, “you want to use me as bait?”

Fury nodded and tucked the device back into his coat.

Shaking her head, Y/N retreated further. “I won’t let you. I will not let you use me like that.”

“I’m afraid you don’t have much of a choice in the matter.”

Struggling to keep calm, Y/N folded her arms again. “He’s clever. Much too clever for the likes of you. He’ll figure it out. He won’t come.”

Fury simply looked at her as though she were a mere child. “He will come. We’ll make sure of it.”

Y/N didn’t like how the Director spoke those words. “Does my father know about this? About what you’re planning?” She was grabbing at straws, she knew her father felt betrayed by her lies, but she needed all the help she could get.

Fury nodded, “it was his idea.”

Y/N paled and retreated until her back came in contact with the wall. “You’re lying. My father would never do that.”

Silence answered her. Fury said nothing as he turned to leave.

“May I have that photo?” Her question stopped his departure. Turning around, he looked at her, standing with her back to the wall, her e/c eyes pleading with him.

Taking the photograph out of his coat pocket, he laid it on the table before leaving, closing the door behind him.

Y/N didn’t move until the door clicked shut. She slowly made her way to the table where the photo lay. Her hand trembled as she reached out to take it. Her feet carried her back to the wall where she sank to the ground, the photo clutched to her chest like her favourite book.

“Don’t come for me,” her voice broke and fresh tears came. “Please don’t come.”

~  ~  ~

_“Please don’t come.”_

The whispered words seemed to come from the very walls. Loki looked around to see if anyone else had heard the whisper. If any did, they were doing an excellent job of hiding their reactions.

He had not known her long, yet he would recognise her voice anywhere. Closing his eyes, he imagined her in his mind’s eye. What he saw made his blood boil.

_There she was, hunched on the ground in a dimly lit room, she had clearly been crying and both hands were clutched close to her chest as though she was holding something. There was fear in her eyes, but not the kind Loki had previously seen._

“Y/N?” He whispered her name and when she looked up, his heart leapt. She must have heard him! He watched as she searched the room with hopeful eyes and saw how eventually she shook her head, no doubt telling herself she had imagined it.

As he looked closer, he saw something else in her eyes. Something he was more than familiar with. Betrayal. It shone like twin suns from her eyes. Who could have done something to elicit such a reaction from her ?

“Sir?” A foreign voice shook him from his ‘vision’ and back to the present.

“Yes?” Loki turned to face the speaker, “what is it?”

“Dr. Selvig says it’s ready.”

“Excellent.” In a dismissive gesture, he signaled for the young man to leave. Clearing his features of all emotion, he left the room and headed towards where the good doctor would be waiting for him.

~ ~ ~

Tony hated seeing her like this. The hidden camera provided him with a full view of the room in which she was being held. Hunched on the ground, she looked like anything other than the confident yet recluse college student. 

“Tony?” Bruce’s voice pulled him from his thoughts. 

“Yeah?”

“You ok?”

Turning to look at his friend, Tony sighed heavily and ran a hand through his already tousled hair. “I feel terrible for doing this to her.”

“Hey,” Bruce abandoned what he was doing, “she was the one that lied to you about what she was doing, not the other way round. Remember?”

“How could I forget?” Tony murmured to himself. As far as he could remember Y/N had never lied to him or to her mother. “But lie or no lie, she’s still my little girl, Banner.”

“That’s just it Tony,” Bruce moved to stand in front of him, looking him in the eye. “She’s not a little girl anymore. Her actions were her own as were the decisions she made.”

“How do we know that? How do we know that Loki didn’t somehow manage to influence her?”

“Oh Tony,” Bruce shook his head and took off his glasses. “ You yourself saw the security footage from her room.” 

“Can you really blame me for wanting to believe the best of her?”

“No,” Bruce answered and sighed, “I suppose not.”

~ ~ ~

How much longer were they going to keep her locked in that room? Y/N found herself asking that question over and over. She didn’t know whether it was day or night or what the time was for that matter.

The lone light in the centre of the room flickered and Y/N groaned. “Fabulous.” Bracing one hand on the wall, she pushed herself up and scanned the room, once again confirming that she was alone. Clutching the photo in one hand, she stood and leant against the wall. Eyeing the door, she began to contemplate how difficult it might be to open. Approaching the door, she expected to see some fancy high-tech lock. Instead it looked just like any other. Bending down slightly, she eyed the lock and unhooked one of her earrings and proceeded to work on picking the lock. It took longer than she had initially thought it would, she had read about it many times and had often wandered what it would be like to actually do.

Her eyes lit up when she heard a click. Carefully sliding the earring back in, she tried the handle and grinned when it gave way.

Poking her head out, she was surprised to see no guards and that the hallway was empty. Deciding not to push her luck, Y/N slipped out of the room and ran as quietly as she could down the hall. Relying heavily on her memory of the ship’s layout, Y/N made her way through countless hallways and passages. Her eyes darted frantically as she ran, her breathing quickly became ragged and she had to stop at intervals to catch her breath. Her eyes searched desperately for any signs that would direct her in the direction of the main deck.

Pausing to get her breathing under control, Y/N’s eyes swept around the passageway for any pursuers and landed on a sign that made her eyes light up. “MAIN DECK” with an arrow pointing diagonally to the right. Taking a deep breath, she made to run up the stairs when a foreign voice echoed behind her. “There she is!”

Glancing behind her, Y/N’s eyes widened as she saw three agents just a little distance away. Swearing under her breath, she bolted up the steps and soon heard the agents follow. Coming onto the deck, Y/N had to blink and shield her eyes against the bright sun. Being spurred on by the sounds of pursuit, Y/N kept running. Dodging deck-hands and equipment, she soon came to the edge of the deck and skidded to a halt. Her arms flailed as she struggled to keep her balance. Looking down, her heart sank, “I didn’t think this through,” she murmured to herself. Her plan was to get out, she hadn’t thought any further than that.

“Don’t move,” one of the agents spoke from behind her.

She wouldn’t move even if she wanted to. Her dislike of heights kicked in and her feet became rooted to the spot.

“Back away from the edge Miss.”

Her feet wouldn’t move. Her whole body seemed to have frozen.

When she didn’t move, one of the agents approached her and took a hold of her left wrist.

It was as though something inside of her was triggered. Tearing her arm free, Y/N threw her elbow backward and made contact with the agent’s jaw. Spinning around to face her assailant, Y/N let instinct take over. Her fighting was basic, to say the least. Having had no self-defence training, Y/N relied heavily on the flight-or-fight instinct.

“Miss Stark!”

Her name brought her to a sudden stop and back to reality. Sudden pain lanced through her jaw and right eye and she felt something warm drip from her nose. Lightly touching it, she hissed in pain, great, a broken nose. Her hand came away covered in blood and she groaned in pain and in frustration.

“Miss Stark!” The Director spoke louder, and finally caught Y/N’s attention.

“Director,” Y/N smiled as best she could. Her injured jaw inhibiting her ability to do so. “What can I do for you?”

Nick Fury looked at her as though she’d grown a third eye.

When she got no answer, Y/N shrugged her shoulders before limping past him.

Fury’s hand shot out and grabbed a hold of her bicep.

Hissing in pain, Y/N stopped and turned to face him, “so there _is_ something I can do for you.”

“You can tell where the hell Loki is before he manages to achieve global domination.”

Prying his hand off her arm, Y/N looked him in the eye. “I. Have. No. Idea.”

“Are you lying to me?”

“Now why would I do something like that?” She looked at as though he was child who had asked a question with an overly obvious answer. Her eyes narrowed when she saw the Director nod to someone behind her. Before she knew it, her hands were being pulled behind her and a blindfold was pulled over her eyes.

“Wait until my father hears about this,” Y/N snarled. Despite not being able to use her hands, she lunged in his direction before being pulled back.

“No you don’t,” Clint spoke up from behind her. When she tried to see who it was, he spoke again, “Agent Clint Barton, at your service.”

Y/N curled her lip at him.

“Your father told us where you were.” Fury informed her. “He also told us that they’ve found him.”

Y/N stopped her struggling, “then why did you ask me in the first place?”

Fury smirked, knowing she couldn’t see it. “To see if you would tell the truth.”

‘How. Dare. You.” Clint had to pull her back again, more forcibly this time.

“Come along,” Fury nodded to him and Y/N felt herself being pulled in the general direction of the ship’s entrance.

~ ~ ~

A sense of contentment coursed through Loki as he stood at the top of Stark Tower. Everything was going to plan and soon he would be free to return and collect her as he had promised.

Taking a deep breath, he turned and re-entered the tower. He stopped short when he saw two men drop a figure in the middle of the room. His eyes widened when he saw the figure’s hair.

“Y/N?” She looked terrible, even from where he stood he could see that her nose was broken. Waiting until the men had gone, he made his way over to her. He watched as she tried lift the blindfold with obviously injured hands. *

They were shaking as she tried to lift the fabric.

Y/N never thought that taking off a simple strip of fabric would take as long as it did. She had to make sure that she didn’t worsen her existing injuries. Her swollen eye making it hard to avoid brushing against. She had to move slowly and hissed when her hand brushed against the bruise on her jaw.

“Y/N?” He spoke a little louder this time, not sure if she had heard him the first time.

The sound of her name brought her trembling hands to a stop. The blindfold wasn’t even half off.

Setting aside the scepter, Loki reached out and gently untied the black fabric, being careful to dodge her swollen eye and jaw. “Y/N, it’s me.”

Blinking rapidly from the sudden assault of light, Y/N shied away and covered her eyes, swearing and immediately recoiling from the pain of the bruises.

It felt almost like second nature as he reached out and gently took her hands. “Y/N, look at me....please.”

She froze, her eyes traveling down to where their hands were joined. The joints in her fingers ached as she traced invisible patterns on his hands. “It’s you?” She sounded as though she was speaking to herself rather than to him.

Loki began to wonder if she could hear anything at all. He had gotten no obvious responses from her. This worried him more than it should have. “Y/N, please.”

Soft, almost pleading words reached her ears. Y/N looked up from their joined hands and narrowed her eyes slightly before reaching up with one hand and placing it gently on his cheek. “Loki?”

He felt, in that moment that he were hearing his name for the very first time. Nodding, he smiled gently. “Yes my love.”

Her answering smile was brighter than the afternoon sun. The smile faltered however as she remembered something. “It’s a trap. You have to leave.”

“Leave?” Confusion coloured his tone.

Nodding frantically, Y/N pulled herself to her feet, “yes. You need to go, you need to go now.”

Loki made to reply when Tony stepped into the scene, fully dressed in his armour, minus the helmet. “He won’t be going anywhere.”

Gripping Loki’s arm for support, Y/N turned to face her father. “Dad, please, don’t.”

“What’s going on?”

Turning from her father, Y/N looked up into his green eyes. “I was the bait.”

“The bait?!” Loki made no effort to hide his shock.

“Yes,” nodding, Y/N swallowed heavily, “to keep you here, while they dismantled any plan you may have had in place.”

He didn’t answer right away, but Tony did. “And as you can see, it worked perfectly. Your little game is at an end.”

“You have every right to hate me,” Y/N looked down, not able to meet his emerald gaze. “I know that I do.” She backed away and wrapped her arms around herself.

Before Loki could do anything, he was pinned against the opposite wall by none other, than Thor. “Hello brother.”

It seemed as though all of a sudden, the Avengers were all there. Y/N seemed forgotten, now that she had played her part. Being the shortest and by far not as strong, Y/N knew she had no hope of getting past them. She felt like a traitor as she stood there while they locked shackles around his wrists and a horrible-looking gag over his mouth.

Y/N felt the familiar sting of tears. She didn’t bother to try and stop them as they broke free. This was wrong! Angrily brushing the tears away and ignoring the pain from her eye, Y/N pushed through the small crowd until she stood just a few short feet away from him and his brother.

“This is wrong,” she spoke the words with all the resolve and passion she felt at that moment.

“He is a criminal,” Natasha spoke to her as though she was a child. “He’s done some very bad things.”

“Haven’t we all?” Y/N looked the Russian in the eye as though to challenge her. “No one here is perfect. I do not condone what he has done, not in the least. But I do know this,” she paused and turned to look at him before continuing. “That he has shown me only kindness, despite how he’s been treated by us. In the eyes of this world and its government he may be a criminal who has committed unspeakable acts, but to me,” the tears came again and she let them. “He is one of the most beautiful souls who decided to give me a chance at being different from others of my race.” Turning fully to face him, she cocked her head to the side and smiled. “And in return for that kindness and that chance, I offer you, Loki of Asgard, the most precious treasure that I own, my heart. I have the faith to believe that you will keep it safe.”

Loki simply stared, he couldn’t do much else. He had done nothing to deserve the angel that stood before him. Defending him and speaking up for him when all others condemned him. He longed to reach out and hold her close and tell her that his heart was her’s for all eternity. But the shackles and the gag prevented this and it pained him that she would never know just how much her words were reciprocated. He hoped and prayed with all his heart that his eyes conveyed his heart’s message.

No one really knew what to say after Y/N’s speech. Most were shocked and surprised that she would feel that way about such a person. Tony, perhaps, was the most shocked of them all.

“Time to go, I believe,” Thor broke the silence and the others nodded in agreement. “Come along brother,” he gently pulled Loki forward and past Y/N.

Not thinking twice, Y/N reached out and lightly touched his shackled hands. Thor did not miss this and stopped, allowing his brother a moment.

Turning to Thor, Y/N spoke, “could-could you please take that thing off him?” Her e/c eyes pleaded with him and darted to the gag as though to illustrate her request. “Please?”

Without a word but with protests from the others, he reached up and undid the gag.

They were like magnets, hungry for contact with the other. They seemed to forget that they were in the company of others and only broke apart when the need for air became mutual.

“I am a monster, like they say I am,” Loki whispered the words, meant only for her. “But I do have a heart, and it belongs to you.” His green eyes met her e/c ones as he took her hand and reverently kissed her knuckles. “It will always belong to you, my Queen.”

Y/N could form no coherent words, the tears ran in torrents down her cheeks. “Will I see you again?” She murmured, her tear-filled eyes hopeful.

‘Who knows my love,” Loki brought up his shackled hands and gently brushed away her tears. “But know this, that no matter where you are or where you may find yourself in time, I will always love you, until the end of days.”

Before Y/N could reply, Thor came with the gag and secured it on his brother. Loki’s eyes never left her’s. “I _will_ find you, I promise,” her words followed him as the power of the Tesseract took him and his brother from her sight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> check out my blog at : https://crystal-siren.tumblr.com/ where this story was originally posted.....


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There’s something unusual about us. Something deeply spiritual. The way we fall in one another so naturally like our love carved of the earth. There are star systems bursting at our fingertips when we touch. We are in tune. Our hearts croon the same old song. The universe planned for us. I know it. I know it. ~ Beau Taplin (In Tune)

“Am I right to assume that you’ve gone completely insane?”

Y/N smiled and glanced over her shoulder. “That depends on your definition of the word.”

“How about wanting to jump into a Siberian lake during Winter?”

Turning around to face her companion, Y/N folded her arms and grinned. “I told you, its research.”

“Yeah, some research this is. You’ll freeze within seconds. How am I supposed to explain that to your parents?”

“My dear cousin,” Y/N approached him and lay a gentle hand on his arm. “My parents don’t even know I’m here.”

“Brilliant.”

Y/N smirked at his sarcastic tone and turned to walk to the end of the pier. Her eyes swept over the frozen expanse and her breath came out in puffs. “I’ve come this far,” she murmured to herself, “I can’t stop now.”

“Are you talking to yourself again?” Her cousin’s amused tone broke through her thoughts.

Shaking her head, Y/N took a deep breath and spoke, this time loud enough for him to hear her clearly. “Ever since you decided to help me, I have kept things from you.”

“Decided to help you? That’s not how I remember it.”

“Regardless,” Y/N turned to face him and was surprised to find him only an arm’s length away. “I haven’t told you the real reason for everything I’ve been doing these past two years.”

"You mean you’re about to tell me why you’ve stolen all that information ? Why you’ve used your position to gain access to otherwise classified and protected documents?” Her cousin’s blue eyes searched her face for any kind of answer.

Y/N nodded. “I wouldn’t quite put it that way, but, yes.”

“Well?”

Y/N bit her lip before letting out a shuddering breath. “I made a promise.”

“You made a promise? A promise to what, convince the world you’ve lost your mind? That you’ve completely lost it?” The disbelief and incredulity in his tone was almost visible.

“It was nothing like that and you know it,” Y/N was struggling to stay calm.

“Then please enlighten me.” There was an edge to her cousin’s voice that she had not heard before. “Because right now, I’m having a hard time trying to understand what kind of person would require such a promise from you.”

“He-” Y/N broke off and looked down at her hands. “He didn’t require anything of me. It was I who made the promise, not him.”

“What on earth would possess you to do such a thing?”

Y/N turned away from him and moved to stand near the end of the pier. She did not answer right away, her eyes fixated on the partially frozen surface below. When she spoke, however, her voice was soft, like a breath of wind. “I love him.”

Silence answered her statement. Not waiting for her cousin to respond, Y/N dropped the heavy coat she wore and shivered as the icy Siberian air hit her skin. The last thing she heard was her cousin’s protests before the cold water surrounded her.

~ ~ ~

_“Look, the sky is so beautiful tonight.” Her eyes shone like the stars above them._

_Indeed it was, a calm quiet spring night with not even the slightest breeze to disturb them._

_“It is times like these that make me believe we are the only two people in existence.”_

_He soon found himself agreeing with her. Never in his life would he have imagined himself to be as happy as he was with her. “If only that were true.”_

_Sighing contentedly, she lay her head on his shoulder, her Y/F/C locks spilling over his shoulder. “For tonight, let us pretend that it is.”_

_Kissing the top of her head, he rested his chin amongst her coloured curls. “For you my love, I will.”_

_“I don’t want to go” she murmured and curled an arm around his waist, her face buried in his shoulder._

_“Then don’t,” he whispered and held her closer._

 

_“I must,” she lifted her head and met his gaze. “I must keep the promise I made.”_

_“What promise?”_

_“The promise to find you.”_

 

Blinking _,_ Loki sat up. She often visited him in that manner. Dreams, nightmares and visions. His escape from the isolation that was his punishment. The books his mother brought soon bored him and sight of the same four walls was slowly driving him mad.

The memory of her voice floated around the cell and he closed his eyes in an effort to escape back to where she was. He had no such luck. Sighing in frustration, he bent to retrieve a discarded book when a sudden coldness engulfed him. A bone-chilling cold that seemed to pulse ever-so-slightly. He had never felt anything like it.

Looking at his hands, he noticed that they had not shifted to the blue of his natural Jotun form. Confused, he cast a reflection spell but did not see himself.

_Distorted sun rays soon made it clear that what he was looking at was underwater. A figure soon came into view and Loki did not have to guess who that was. Her coloured hair hung suspended in the water as she swam. She seemed to be swimming upwards. Her hands reached the surface first. But they did not pass through the water as expected. The surface was hard and would not yield even when she slammed her fists against it._

_It was then that the prince saw fear enter her beautiful eyes. Her lips were clamped shut in order to preserve the precious air she had left. She began to claw at the ice, her actions becoming weaker as more time passed._

_~ ~ ~_

Y/N was beginning to panic _,_ no matter how hard she hit or clawed, the ice would not give way. Surely her cousin would be hearing this? Y/N was tempted to call out to him with what strength and air she had left.

Her lungs were burning. The need for oxygen was becoming paramount. Her desperate eyes searched her surroundings and soon locked onto the submerged leg of the pier. Swimming up to it, she began to claw at the ice surrounding it. Still to no avail. Seeing no other options, she opened her mouth and screamed as best as one could underwater. “NIKOLAS!” A rush of bubbles accompanied the word.

When no immediate response came, her panic increased. Y/N refused to give up. She had made a promise and she’d be damned before letting anything make her break it. Her bruised and bloodied hands pounded on the ice and with fast dwindling reserves of air, she continued to call for her cousin.

~ ~ ~

Loki hated it. Watching her trapped under ice and fighting to survive. He loathed how helpless he felt. Unable to help her in anyway. Forced to stand and watch while the woman he loved could very well be living her last moments.

The cold had not left him. If anything, it had gotten worse. He heard the fear and panic in her voice as she called for someone named Nikolas. In any other situation, Loki would have been jealous. But now, he simply prayed and begged that this person would hear her.

“Y/N,” he whispered, “if you can hear me, I beg you not give up. I beg you to keep fighting. I beg you to live.”

~ ~ ~

She thought she was hearing things. The lack of air seemed to playing tricks on her oxygen-deprived brain. The voice, _his_ voice, seemed to come from everywhere. It surrounded her with a comforting warmth and closing her eyes, she saw two emerald-eyes look back at her. Pleading with her to keep going.

_Open your eyes,_ they seemed to say _, open them. Stay awake! Keep fighting. Don’t you dare give up. Wake up and keep going._

 

~ ~ ~

Loki watched in frozen horror as her eyes remained closed despite his pleas. Her hands, which had been raised to break the ice, now hung suspended in the water. Her lips, a dark shade of purple, were curved in a gentle smile.

The prince watched in agonizing helplessness, his eyes scanning her for any signs of life. Even in such a state, he found himself mesmerised by her. Even now, he hoped and prayed that her eyes would open, that she would continue to fight like the survivor he knew her to be.

 “Keep fighting woman! Damn you, don’t you dare stop.” A shuddering breath escaped him. “I can’t lose you,” he whispered, his voice choked with the tears he was struggling to hold back. “I won’t survive.”

His eyes remained trained on her, they did not leave her, not even when the ice above her was finally broken. Not even when she was lifted into the arms of her cousin. Wrapped in thick towels and furs, Y/N was carried away, her beautiful eyes closed to the world. Her elegant form limp in her cousin’s arms.

“May we meet again, my love,” he whispered. “I promise you, that my soul will find no rest until it has found yours.”

Braving one last look at the reflection, he saw only himself, and the Queen who stood silently behind him.

If his mother’s presence startled him, Loki refused to show it. Pushing himself off the bed, he stood and faced the older woman.

“What are you doing here?” The words came out harsher than he intended.

“Is a mother not permitted to see her son?”

“You are not my mo-”

“I am not your birth mother,” Frigga cut him off with a sad smile. “That I know. You have reminded me many times these past two years. But I raised you and loved you, I still love you. That makes me as much your mother as the one that gave birth to you.”

Loki could not find the right words to say to such a statement. Turning away from her, he fought against the tears that came every time she spoke that way.

“Who is she?” Frigga asked in a soft voice.

Loki knew full well who she was talking about. He briefly considered lying even though he knew that Frigga would easily see through him. “Who?”

“The young woman in the reflection.”

Taking a deep breath, Loki turned to face her. “She was a mortal I became acquainted with during my time on Midgard.”

“A mortal you say?” Frigga was intrigued, to say the least. What was it about this young woman in particular that had snagged the attention of her younger son? 

“Yes.”

Frigga nodded thoughtfully, her eyes never leaving him. “A very headstrong young woman, to be sure.”

“How would you know such a thing?” Loki narrowed his eyes at the Queen and kept his tone neutral.

“I do believe your brother spoke of her. A mortal woman with hair and eyes unlike any he has seen before. Of such a vivid colour that it would be impossible to lose her within a crowd of thousands.” Frigga smiled in memory of Thor’s description of the young lady. “A mortal who valued knowledge above all else.”

The image of Y/N clutching her book to her chest came unbidden to the forefront of Loki’s memory. Her Y/F/C hair was tousled from sleep but her eyes were bright with curiosity.

_“You like to read?”_ He heard himself ask.

_“Yes. I do.”_ She answered, _“if you ask my parents, they would say I spend more time reading than in the company of actual people.”_

Frigga watched her son closely. His eyes seemed to be seeing something else, something far away. A sad smile graced his features. In that moment, the prince seemed to forget he had company and dropped the masks of arrogance and indifference.

Frigga decided that perhaps it was best that she left without telling him. If memories offered him a respite from the isolation and loneliness, who was she to take that away from him ?

~ ~ ~

The first thing Y/N noticed upon opening her eyes was how warm it was. Her e/c eyes were immediately drawn to a large fireplace.

“Welcome back to the land of the living.” Her cousin knelt by the fire and smirked at her from over his shoulder. “I hate to say it but, I did say this was going to happen.”

“Doesn’t sound like you hate to say it,” Y/N shot back, her voice a little hoarse. Her eyes sparkled with mischief despite her weakened state.

“Oh no you don’t,” Nikolas left the fire and came to sit on the bed beside her. “You almost drowned in a partially frozen lake, you’re not going anywhere.”

“I didn’t even say anything,” she protested and grinned.

“You don’t have to,” Nikolas tried and failed to look serious. The relief he felt at seeing her awake was evident. “You gave me a real scare there cuz.”

“I did?” She seemed genuinely surprised.

“Sure you did,” Nikolas reached out and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “When I heard you calling my name from under the ice, I thought I was imagining things. But when I saw you there, reaching up, trying to get out, I knew you did not have long left unless I did something.”

Y/N snuggled in closer, grateful for the familiarity that came from family. “How exactly did you break through all that ice?”

“I hit the ice more times than I’d like to count, until finally I broke through and pulled you out.” He looked down and gently rubbed her arm, as though he was remembering how cold she had felt that day, her lips a dark shade of purple and her skin pale.

“Did you find what you were looking for?” Nikolas asked, changing the topic slightly.

Y/N shook her head. “It wasn’t there. I mean, it was once, but someone must have come before me.”

“Do you know who it could be?” Nikolas had no idea why he was even encouraging this.

Y/N didn’t answer right away. Her eyes narrowed in thought before widening as her mind locked onto an idea. “SHIELD. They took it. They must have.” The conviction in her voice startled her cousin.

“Are you serious?”

She nodded, “positive. Think Nikolas, who else could it be?!”

“Oh gee,” her cousin got up and returned to the fire. “There could be any number of people out there, looking for the same thing as you. Besides,” he turned back to her, “what was it you were looking for anyway? It must have been pretty important for you to knowingly risk your life like that.”

“It was a stone.”

“A stone? You almost drowned for a stone?”

Y/N nodded, her eyes seemed to go distant. “This stone was the last piece, the piece I have been looking for. The key to fulfilling the promise I made and have every intention of keeping.”

Nikolas narrowed his eyes and stared at her intently. “What is so special about this stone exactly ?”

Y/N smiled and met his piercing blue gaze. “It is known as the Stone of Transcendence.”

Nikolas blinked, perplexed. “I’m sorry, what?”

“It is said,” Y/N continued, “that this stone would allow it’s bearer to go beyond the limits and reaches of this world. Legend has it, that it bore the ability to open the doorway to other worlds.”

“Other worlds?” Nikolas wasn’t sure he’d heard correctly.

“Yes.” Her eyes seemed to come back to the present. “I was _this_ close Nikolas,” she emphasised, “this damn close and those bastards came and stole my last chance at finding him.” The passion and anger in her voice surprised her cousin. “It’s so bloody typical.”

“Just who is this person you keep talking about?”

A small smile blossomed on her features. Her earlier anger seemingly forgotten. “Loki. His name is Loki.”

Now Nikolas was convinced, his dear cousin had finally lost her mind. “Loki ? as in _the_ Loki? The one from Norse Mythology? The one that attacked New York two years ago?”

Y/N nodded, her smile fading a little. “To be fair, my dear cousin, he never actually went through with it.”

“Oh I’m sorry, the one that _tried_ to attack New York.”

“I’m sorry you don’t like the answer, but you quite literally asked for it,” Y/N reminded him.

Nikolas said nothing, he simply shook his head and turned his attention back to the crackling flames in the fireplace.

“I need your help.”

“My help?” Nikolas spoke, remaining in the same position. “What could you possibly need my help for?”

“Getting the stone back.”

“No.” He stood up and faced her, “absolutely not.”

“You’re just being petty now,” Y/N grinned up at her stone-faced cousin. “You’re an intelligence agent, this is quite literally what you do.”

Nikolas stared at her as though she had grown a third eye. “I’m a spy, yes, but not a thief.”

“I’m sorry dear cousin,” Y/N met his eyes, “but I do not see the difference.”

“You seem to be forgetting a very important aspect of all of this.”

Y/N raised her eyebrows and gestured for him to continue. “And that would be?”

“I’m _Russian_ intelligence and you want me to steal something from an _American_ intelligence organisation. How does that not spell _trouble_?”

Y/N crossed her arms over her chest. “Since when have you every backed down in the face of a challenge?”

“This isn’t a challenge Y/N,” Nikolas tried to reason with her. “If anything goes wrong, America will blame Russia and we’ll have Cold War 2.”

“Oh please,” Y/N rolled her eyes, “there is no need to be so dramatic. This is hardly a war declaration. You’re simply helping me get back something that was stolen from me.”

“But you never had it.”

“Technicalities,” Y/N dismissed with a small wave, “the point is, they took it because they knew I was looking for it.”

“Do you have any idea what you sound like?”

“Like a mad genius?”

“You got the mad part right,” Nickolas shook his head and ran a hand through his hair.

“So,” Y/N’s eyes sparkled, “are you in?”

“I’m sorry, did you not hear a word of what I just said?”

She nodded and grinned, “sure I did.”

Nikolas soon found himself returning the expression and smiled down at her. “This plan of yours will most likely get us caught or killed.”

“Good to know you’re so confident in both of our abilities,” Y/N smirked.

“Let’s not try and start a war alright?”

Y/N nodded, her smirk widening. “I’ll do my best.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She said, ‘Never forget me’.......as if the coast could forget the ocean, or the lung forget the breath, or the earth could forget the sun. ~ Beau Taplin (A Reminder)

She was the last person Tony had ever suspected of being a thief. It had been two years since he had spoken with her and heard her voice.

Y/N had left the country on what was supposed to be a business trip. It was not until she was completely out of the country, that the authorities discovered what she had done.

The American government had tasked SHIELD with the mission of finding her and bringing her back. Tony had been reluctant at first, not wanting believe that his little girl was responsible for the theft of classified documents from the National Archives. When he had learnt however, who these documents concerned, he had all the proof he needed.

For two years he and his team mates had chased her across Europe. She had evaded them at every turn, outsmarting them at every opportunity. Even Nat and Clint had a hard time keeping track of her. Y/N’s extensive knowledge of information retrieval made it hard for the Avengers to prevent her from gaining access to the various institutions that had become her targets.

London was the last place they had seen her. Their British contact had seen her, her Y/F/C hair making it easy for anyone to spot and pinpoint her. Nat had tailed her but she soon gave them the slip and disappeared, taking the stolen information with her.

Fury had ordered Tony to stay behind, believing him to be too emotionally involved. He had waited with baited breath as Nat’s steady reports came in over her com. Then came the words that Tony and Fury had been dreading. _“I’ve lost her.”_

She had gone dark, off the grid. Y/N had made it near impossible for them to track her. Since her disappearance from London, the Avengers had received no further reports of her location. It was not until a pattern was discovered by a SHIELD analyst that they were able to predict where she would go next.

Siberia.

The information and artifacts she had stolen all spoke of a legendary stone with ability to allow its bearer to travel to different worlds. While some argued that they should lie in wait for her, others believed that if she could not find the stone, then she would eventually give up and return to America of her own will.

Tony, who had no desire to arrest his own daughter, voted on the second option.

~ ~ ~

“Sometimes memories are the worst forms of torture.”

If he was surprised that Thor had come to visit him, Loki showed no outward sign. Standing up, he smiled nastily at his brother. “How kind of you to come. Are the realms at peace now that the mighty Thor has vanquished their enemies?”

Thor moved closer until only the barrier of the cell stood between them. “I spoke with Mother,” he continued, ignoring the jibe.

“Did you just.”

“She is worried about you.”

Picking up a nearby book, Loki pretended to read it. “She is? How very touching.”

“You know she is,” Thor spoke, his tone gentle. Taking a deep breath, he looked down at his hands before lifting his gaze to meet his brother’s. “I did not just come to speak of our mother, but also to offer my condolences.”

Loki did not answer right away. When he did, his voice was dangerously calm. “I would thank you if I knew why you offered them.”

“Do not play games with me, brother.” Thor could clearly see that something had shifted in his brother, despite the facade he had constructed.

Loki turned away from the older Prince. He clenched his hands into tight fists in order to to maintain his control over his emotions. “I have no need for such useless sentiments.”

“I do wonder,” Thor spoke after a few moments of silence. “How it is possible for you to remain so calm, even after the worst experience has befallen you?”

“What other choice do I have?” Loki challenged, turning to face him.

“The woman you love is dead,” Thor hated himself for the brief flicker of pain that flittered over his brother’s features. “And here you are, calm and collected as though nothing of importance has happened.”

“What do you suggest I do?”

Thor ground his teeth in frustration. Why was he acting so damn unaffected ?

“Lashing out in anger would hardly aid my cause,” Loki pointed out. “She was a mortal, Thor. It was only a matter of time.”

“Would you listen to yourself!” Thor could hardly believe what he was hearing. “If she meant so little to you, as you claim she did-”

“Do not presume to put words into my mouth,” Loki snapped, cutting him off. His upper lip curled in the first show of emotion Thor had witnessed since his arrival. “Do not presume to offer me comfort when you know nothing of the pain.”

Thor said nothing. What could he possibly say? His brother was right, words of comfort would have no effect on him, they were useless.

 

~ ~ ~

“This is not how I pictured my first trip to the Swiss Alps.”

“Really?” Nikolas shot his cousin a sideways glance, “I am truly shocked.”

“Ha ha,” Y/N unbuckled her safety harness and stood to walk to the back of the helicopter where she proceeded to strap a parachute to her body. “Very funny.”

“I still think the plane would have been better,” her cousin spoke from the cockpit.

“You know,” Y/N replied, moving back to the front and sitting back down. “If you keep saying that, I might just pull you out with me.”

“Then we would crash and boom, there goes the element of surprise.”

Y/N smirked, “boom indeed.”

“Honestly,” Nikolas rolled his eyes and attempted to glare at her. His expression softened, “are you sure you’re up for this ? I know you never liked heights much.”

Y/N took a deep breath and smiled at him. “My fears are of little consequence. I made a promise and what kind of person would I be if I broke it ?”

“This isn’t just about the promise though is it?”

Looking down at her hands, Y/N shook her head.

“You really love him then?”

Meeting her cousin’s blue gaze, she took a shuddering breath and nodded. “Yes.”

“Well, then,” Nikolas nudged her shoulder. “Lets hope everything goes smoothly.”

“Yeah,” she whispered and fixed her eyes straight ahead, “I hope so too.”

Silence hung between them for the remainder of the flight. It wasn’t until the distinct shapes of the mountains came into view, that Y/N stood up and moved to door of the aircraft.

“We’re almost at the drop zone,” Nikolas reported and glanced over his shoulder. “You ready?”

Y/N made to reply when a fit of coughing racked her entire frame.

“Y/N?” Nickolas made to come to her when she waved him away.

“I’m alright,” she wheezed out and held a hand to her chest where a stabbing pain bloomed. “Just the nerves I suppose.”

Despite remaining unconvinced, Nikolas nodded. “If you’re all set?”

Y/N nodded and slid a pair of goggles over her eyes. Sliding the door open, she took a series of deep breaths to try and calm herself. “Here goes,” she murmured to herself and all but fell out of the aircraft.

The rush of the cold mountain air helped to distract Y/N from paying too much attention to the fact that she was falling rather rapidly towards the ground. Only when she pulled the parachute did she relax.

Landing somewhat smoothly in a clearing, she untangled herself from the parachute and activated her earpiece. “Nikolas? Can you hear me?”

“Still alive I see?” Came her cousin’s relieved tone.

“Alive and kicking,” Y/N replied, smirking. “I told you this would work.”

“Hang on,” he protested, “you haven’t even gone in yet.”

“Such faith, dear cousin,” Y/N shot back, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “You remember where to go I assume?”

“Please, I’ve been in this business longer than you.”

“Whatever you say,” she replied, “I’m going in.” Looking around, she began the short climb to the walls of SHIELD’s European base of Operations.

~ ~ ~

Not entirely convinced that his daughter would simply give up, Tony had elected to stay at the base in case she got it into her head to try and steal the stone.

If the past two years had taught him anything, it was that Y/N was not to be underestimated in the lengths she would go to.

Standing in front of the case that housed the stone, Tony sighed heavily, never would he have pictured his life to turn out this way. His precious daughter as a fugitive and thief was something the still sounded alien and wrong.

It was a beautiful stone to be sure, that much he would acknowledge. It was as though someone has trapped a sunset inside it. Under no circumstances could he let her get her hands on it.

~ ~ ~

Y/N was more than a bit suspicious of how easy it had been to get in. Not stopping to think why, she slipped into one of the numerous hallways and walked as silently as she could, relying heavily on her memory of the base’s layout.

The stone, if it was there, would be housed in the most secure part of the building.

Making doubly sure to avoid the cameras that decorated the walls, Y/N crept through the building like a shadow.

The sound of approaching footsteps had Y/N press herself against the wall and stop breathing, even though the stabbing pain in her chest continued to increase.

“What do you think Tony’ll do if she comes?” Natasha asked, rounding the corner. Y/N’s eyes widened, her father was here?!

“I hope he doesn’t hesitate, whatever he decides to do,” Clint replied.

Y/N waited until the two agents were completely out of sight before letting out the breath she’d been holding. She berated herself for not having prepared for this eventuality. She perked up however, if her father was here, that meant the stone was too.

With renewed energy, she headed in the direction the two agents had come from. She hoped and prayed that she wouldn’t encounter her father, she had no idea how she would react. She was a criminal after all.

It wasn’t long until a heavily guarded door came into view. Swearing under her breath, Y/N ducked into a nearby alcove, hoping that the guards hadn’t seen her.

Running her hands down her legs, she pulled out a pair of throwing knives. Nikolas had insisted that she at least go minimally armed, in case anything should happen.

Praying that her aim should prove accurate, Y/N spun out of the alcove and threw the blades. They sliced through the air and hit their mark.

Trying not to focus on the fact that she had just taken two lives, Y/N hesitantly approached one and nudged him with her foot. When no response came, she sighed with morbid relief.

Retrieving her knives, she quickly wiped them clean on her pants before approaching the door. Not wasting any time, she pulled out the device Nikolas had given her and placed it on the door. Numbers flickered across the screen until a combination was reached.

Looking over her shoulder, Y/N scanned the hallway before pushing the door open and stepping through.

~ ~ ~

Hearing the door open and then close, Tony turned around. The person that stood before him was both the first and last person he wanted to see.

“Y/N?”

Her e/c eyes didn’t seem to register his presence. They were locked onto the case behind him. “Finally,” she murmured and stepped around him.

Y/N knew full well that her father was there. She also knew that she had precious little time. The stone gleamed before her. It’s warm golden glow reflected on her features. Reaching out, her fingers brushed the cool glass.

“I can’t let you take that.”

Y/N briefly closed her eyes before turning to face him. “That’s too bad. I made a promise and I have every intention of keeping it.”

“A promise to a criminal is one that you have no obligation to keep.”

Y/N stared at her father. “How can you say such a thing? A promise is a promise, regardless to who it is made.”

“He is dangerous, Y/N. You above everyone would know this.”

Y/N nodded. ““You’re right, I do know and I love him despite it.”

“I can’t let you do this,” Tony continued as she moved closer to the case.

Turning away from him, Y/N faced the glass and clenched her right hand into a fist before slamming it through the case. The glass sliced at her knuckles but she didn’t care. Her slender fingers curled around the stone and drew it to her. “You thought to steal my chance at happiness. You and those people you call friends.” Turning to face him, she continued, “I will make each and everyone of you pay for that.”

The moment she had smashed the glass, alarms had sounded. Panic coursed through her but she refused to show it. “You made me lose my love once, now you will lose yours a thousand times over.” Her voice was dangerously calm.

Shocked into silence, Tony stared at her. What had happened to his sweet girl? His Y/N? What being had possessed her?

Taking advantage of his stunned state, she sprinted from the room. Clutching the stone to her chest , Y/N ran.

The sound of the alarms seemed to follow her. The hallways all looked the same as she struggled to remember the way out. The heavy sound of running feet soon reached her ears and her panic increased. Touching her earpiece, Y/N activated it and tried to keep her voice calm as she addressed her cousin. “Nikolas? Nikolas? You there?”

“That was quick,” his surprised voice filtered through the com. “Was it there? The stone ?”

“Yes,” she answered quickly as her pursuers gained ground. “I have it with me. I need you to get me out. Now.”

“Something happened didn’t it?”

Y/N sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose before answering. “My father was there and I may have said some horrible things to him.”

“Well, did you?”

She bit her lip before answering and looked over her shoulder. “I kind of threatened him.”

“You WHAT?”

“I wasn’t thinking, alright!” She protested and ducked around the next corner when she heard them getting closer. “We can talk about this in greater detail later, but right now, I need you to get me out.”

She heard him sigh heavily before replying. “Alright, as we planned.”

“Agreed.” Taking one more breath despite the pain in her chest and hand, Y/N ran as fast and as quietly as she could.

Finally the route began to look familiar, this alone helped to spur her on. Skidding to a halt just before an emergency exit, she pushed the door open with her good hand and was greeted with a rush of cold mountain air.

“Y/N.”

Freezing at the sound of her name, she slowly turned around and faced her father, who in turn was flanked by Agents Barton and Romanoff.

“Dad,” she acknowledged and unconsciously held the stone closer.

“Give us the stone,” Clint stepped forward and held out a hand.

Curling her upper lip, Y/N shook her head. “I would sooner cut off my right hand than give this to you.”

“Come now,” Tony stepped in. “There is no need for that. Y/N, sweetie, please. I know the promise you made, we were all there.”

“Then let me keep it,” she pleaded, “let me be happy.”

“He will not make you happy,” Natasha tried to reason with her.

Y/N turned her attention to the young Russian. “Who are you to say such a thing? How do you know that ? Hmmm? Who are you to say who and who won’t make me happy?” She then turned to other two. “Who are any of you to determine that? You all hate him! Especially you,” she pointed a bloody finger at Clint.

She opened her mouth to continue when her cousin’s voice sounded in her ear. “Whenever you’re ready, cuz.”

Sure enough, the cold rush of wind that accompanied the arrival of a helicopter blew the few stray strands of Y/F/C hair loose of the braid she had put it in. Turning around, Y/N saw the craft only a short distance away. Her cousin was beckoning her.

Not even sparing a glance for those behind her, Y/N ran and leapt on board, one of Barton’s arrows skimming the air just below her leg. Slamming the door shut, she climbed into the cockpit beside her cousin.

Nikolas’s keen eyes soon landed on her injured that still clutched the stone. “What on earth happened to your hand?”

“Later,” was all she managed to gasp out. Her chest heaving with the effort to breathe normally.

“Brilliant,” she heard Nikolas mutter in a worried tone, one hand resting gently on her heated forehead.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You were an unexpected surprise. The defining moment. The collision of stars that slammed into me hard and sent my neat little world plummeting into the ocean. I never expected it to be you, you know? But it is you. It’s all you. And now there’s no looking back. ~ Beau Taplin (The Defining Moment)

“How fare the realms, good Heimdall?”

The Bifrost guardian turned slightly at the Prince’s greeting. “There will always be discord and unhappiness, Your Highness. But,” he paused before continuing, “they are at peace.”

Thor smiled and walked to stand beside Heimdall. “I only see the light of distant stars. Yet you see entire worlds and those that live on them.”

Silence followed his statement. It was truly a beautiful sight, the universe spread out before them.

“She’s strong. A fighter.”

Smiling slightly, Thor nodded. “Yes. Indeed she is.” His Jane, the beautiful mortal who had captured his heart. Yet he was confused as to why this side of her should be brought up. Had something happened? “Is she alright?”

Heimdall turned fully towards the Prince. “I’m afraid not.” His golden eyes were sad.

“What happened?” Thor forced himself to remain calm. “Is she injured?”

“No,” Heimdall replied, “she is not injured.”

“Then what happened to her?”

“She is unwell,” Heimdall turned back to the stars. Unable to meet the Prince’s gaze.

This startled him, he wasn’t aware of any such development. “I wasn’t aware that-, is it fatal?” This couldn’t be happening! It just couldn’t.

Heimdall gave the slightest nod. “If she does not seek out a physician soon. But she is stubborn and will not risk being seen.”

“Risk being seen?” Now Thor was thoroughly confused. What exactly had Jane been up to since they had last seen each other ? “What does that mean? Has she done something?”

“She is a fugitive,” Heimdall explained. “She took some very important information from people that would rather her not find.”

“Important information? Do you know what it was she was looking for?”

Heimdall took a deep breath and nodded. “That I do, Your Highness.”

“Well?” Thor was growing impatient. Jane’s life could very well be hanging in the balance.”

“Your brother.”

Any response that he had been formulating disappeared.Why would Jane be interested in Loki? What did he have to do with her ongoing research ? “Jane is looking for my brother? Why? What for?”

Heimdall gave him a look that was something akin to confusion. “I do not speak of Jane, Your Highness.”

“If you do not speak of her, then who-” realisation dawned on him. But it couldn’t be her, she was dead. Or at least, that’s what he believed. “But that is impossible. She-, how?”

“She would have drowned, were it not for her cousin.”

“How did this happen? What was she doing?”

Heimdall did not answer right away. He had watched her closely ever since the two Princes had returned. He knew of the promise she had made. He had seen the lengths she was prepared to go to. “You know of the Stone of Transcendence, do you not?”

Thor nodded, “of course I do, there are many legends and tales about it. There are those that believe it to be real. Why?”

“She found it,” Heimdall explained to a surprised Thor. “Or she would have, had others not come before her.”

“It is real then?” The Prince was taken aback by this news. “And the stone was in a body of water ? I assume?”

The gatekeeper nodded. “Indeed. A lake in one of the coldest parts of Midgard.”

“This illness, what is it’s nature?” Thor wasn’t sure whether he really wanted to hear the answer.

“It is a sickness of the lungs.”

This was enough for the Prince. He knew well enough that any ailment that effected that part of the body was lethal. “How long does she have?”

Heimdall shook his head in thought, “at present, I do not know, Your Highness.”

“I thank you,” Thor bowed respectfully, his tone grave. “I know not whether to inform my brother or to keep it to myself.”

“That is not a decision I can help you to make, Your Highness,” Heimdall replied. “But I do know that it would be cruel to raise one’s hopes, even for one such as he.”

~ ~ ~

“Nikolas Savrikaya. Y/N Stark.” Director Fury spoke as he passed below the respective photographs. “What do we know so far about these two?”

“Well,” Steve spoke up. “Y/N worked at the National Archives for six months before she stole those documents. She’s been on the run ever since.“

“Nikolas is her cousin,” Tony supplied, standing up and facing the group of assembled Avengers. “He moved to Russia with his mother after his father died. He is Russian Intelligence and highly skilled in physical combat.”

“How did they meet?” Clint asked from where he was seated beside Natasha.

“Not important,” Fury stepped in. “What _is_ important is the fact that she now has help. She has the stone that could help her to find _him_ and we don’t even know if she’s used it yet. We need to find them before she has a chance to do so.”

“How do you propose we find them?” Bruce spoke up. “I mean, if she was able to go dark on her own, if we weren’t able to find her before she had help, how are we going to locate her now that she does?”

“We could track her through him?” Natasha suggested, “I mean, if he’s gone rogue, there’s no way that the FSB is not going to be looking for him.”

“Romanoff,” Fury addressed her in a warning tone. “If you’re suggesting we team up with the Russians...?”

“No offense Sir,” Natasha continued, “but this is our best shot. If we find him, we will most likely find her too.”

Her statement was met with murmurs of agreement, even from Tony. He sighed inwardly, never would he have imagined hunting down members of his family. Even if what they had done was wrong.

~ ~ ~

“I’m not going to a hospital,” Y/N stated, “how many times do I have to say that?”

Nikolas rolled his eyes in exasperation. “For goodness sake,” he huffed, “you’re not well, Y/N. This is something you need to understand.”

“I know that,” she replied with a defeated sigh, “I know that ever since I woke up from the lake incident I haven’t exactly been 100%.”

“Then why won’t you let me take you to a place where you can be taken care of properly?”

“Because-” her answer was cut short by fit of coughing. It shook her entire frame and her shoulders heaved. Y/N struggled for breath, the pain in her chest had only gotten worse. Now it was present every time she coughed or took a breath. When the coughing finally stopped, she lifted her hand away from her mouth and saw that not only were her nailbeds a blueish colour, but that a small pool of red lay nestled in her palm.

Her cousin was right, she was only getting worse. But she could not risk being found.

“See what I mean?” Nikolas said, pointedly looking at where her eyes had locked onto her palm. “You have to let someone help you.”

“I can’t-” the fit of coughing had left her lightheaded and with a loss of breath. “They will find me-” her hand flew to her chest as the pain rose sharply. The blood stained the shirt she was wearing. Clenching her jaw to keep from crying out, Y/N struggled to keep a neutral expression. “They will find you.”

Nikolas hated seeing her like that. Her lips were beginning to develop a bruise-like tinge and her hands were visibly trembling. Approaching her, he lay a gentle hand on her forehead and was surprised to find it burning hot. “Y/N? You’re burning hot!”

She looked up at him with bloodshot eyes, “re-really? I feel so cold though.” She sounded so tired and so weak. “My head hurts too.”

Not knowing what else to do, Nikolas reached out and pulled her towards him and held her close. “I’ll find someone to come here then. Hmm?” He gently kissed the top of her head and smiled slightly when he felt her nod. “You’ll get better, Y/N,” he murmured gently, “I promise you that.”

~ ~ ~

“Thor, there you are,” Frigga exclaimed happily upon seeing her elder son. The snow swirled around her as she approached him.

“Hello Mother,” Thor acknowledged and smiled as convincingly as he could.

Ever the mother, Frigga saw right through him. “Something’s on your mind, what is it?”

The Prince, like his brother, briefly considered lying. “I have spoken with Heimdall,” he saw no point in avoiding the truth. If there was anyone that he could tell, it was most likely his mother.

“Oh?” Frigga asked, looping her arm through her son’s and hugged it close. “Was it about Jane?” A mischievous twinkle entered her eyes.

Thor smiled and shook his head. “Not this time.”

“Mmm?”

“It was about that other young woman I told you about. Y/N.”

This caught the Queen’s attention. “Oh? What did he have to say that we don’t already know?”

Taking a deep breath, Thor met his mother’s eyes. “She’s not dead, Mother. She survived what you saw happen to her.”

“This is excellent news!” Frigga smiled up at him, “it is a miracle. Yet you still look grieved. What is it?”

“Mother,” Thor stopped and turned to face her, “what I’m about to tell you, you must not tell Loki. Please.”

Confused, Frigga narrowed her eyes. “Thor. Tell me what is going on. Only then will I make a decision.”

“Very well,” Thor conceded and took a deep breath. “She may be alive, but she is not well.”

“Not well?” Frigga questioned in a worried tone, “she is ill?”

Thor nodded. “Very. Heimdall tells me that it is an illness of the lungs and that it could prove fatal if she does not see a physician soon.”

Without hesitation, Frigga turned and made to leave the way they had come.

“Mother?” The Prince called out, “where are you going?”

“Your brother has a right to know,” the Queen replied and held up a hand to stop her son’s protests. “I made no promise, Thor. The woman he loves is alive, that is all he needs to know.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I’ve never known a joy more elegant or effortless than the one I have found with you. Our energy is infectious, the chemistry is wild, and your crazy and my crazy are perfectly aligned. I am positively convinced we were written in the stars, and if not, I will carve our names into the sky myself. ~ Beau Taplin (In The Stars)

It got worse at night.

Many times he had wished for a dreamless sleep. For nights when her limp form would not float suspended before his eyes. At night she spoke. She spoke of things that had never happened and could never be. Her fragile mortality had made sure of that.

He wished he did not know what her voice sounded like. Or the colour of her eyes and how they lit up when she smiled, or even the artificial colour of her hair. Everything that made her who she was. Everything that made her unique and different from the others of her race. Her acceptance of him and her willingness to let him prove himself.

He wished he had never met her, or laid eyes on her. That she had never spoken to him. That she had not been so curious. He wished for once, that she had followed the rules. 

He knew that all the wishing in the universe would not change the way things had gone. Even with his magic, as powerful as it was, he could not change the past.

The pain that came from being denied his birthright was dulled in comparison to this. The loneliness and isolation was only magnified by the knowledge that he would never see her again. That he would never again be greeted by that warm smile that spoke of second chances and forgiveness. None of which he had earned, not in the least.

Nights were the worst.

He had not laid eyes on the moon or the stars for two years now. The same moon and stars she would have looked at each night. Now he only saw them in his dreams.

The promise she had made. The promise to find him. It would haunt him for the rest of his miserable life. She had condemned herself when she made that promise.

“I didn’t know I had a heart,” he murmured, “at least, not until I lost you.” Looking up, he saw her standing right in front of him. She reached out and gently lay a hand on his cheek. Her touch was a light as the ghost she had become.

~ ~ ~

Blood splattered on the stone as she held it. The amount that came whenever she coughed had only increased.

With clammy hands, Y/N clutched the stone. It was even more beautiful than all those authors and scholars had described it. Smiling slightly, she wiped the blood off the smooth surface, “I’ve finally found you,” she murmured. “Now I just need to figure out how to use you.”

Nikolas had left a hour before to find a doctor that would be willing to treat her. Y/N had read about this illness in the past and she knew what awaited her should no help come. She prayed to whomever might be listening that her cousin would find someone.

Pushing herself up into a standing position, Y/N moved to stand by the window and leaned against the cold stone of the window-frame. Her tired eyes were reflected in the glass. As they looked back at her, they changed from the e/c of her eyes, to the emerald green of his. Her purple, trembling lips morphed into his. Reaching out with a trembling hand, she lay her hand on the cold glass, “not long now,” she murmured before closing her weary eyes.

That was how Nikolas found her.

Panic coursed through him. Rushing to her side, Nikolas immediately felt for a pulse and thanked the stars when he found one. A weak one, but one nonetheless. Pulling her close, he lifted her away from the window. “Come on, let’s get you warm.” He seated her by the fire and draped a blanket around her still form.

The doctor he had brought approached her and knelt before her.

“Well?” Nikolas questioned, eager to know whether or not his suspicions were about to be proved correct or false. He hoped it was the latter.

After examining her pulse and lungs, the doctor stood and faced the young man. “I am afraid it is what you feared.” He glanced back at Y/N, who’s eyes were still closed, her breathing shallow. “Your friend has Pneumonia.”

This was one the few times that Nikolas had hoped he was wrong. “Is it very serious?” His blue eyes darted over the doctor’s features, silently begging. He needed to know as much as possible.

The doctor nodded gravely. “Your friend has a very advanced stage of the illness.”

“Advanced?” Nikolas hoped he wasn’t hearing what he thought he was. “Will she die?”

“Under constant care,” the doctor explained, “she has a very high chance of surviving. But I do believe it would be better if she were to be admitted to a hospital. There she would receive all the right treatments and care.”

Nikolas shook his head. “I tried convincing her, but she is too stubborn. She will not let me take her.”

The doctor was confused. “But surely she is aware of her situation?”

Her cousin nodded. “She knew before I did.”

“Then why?” The doctor pressed.

“Because,” Nikolas paused, thinking of how best to phrase it. “She is uncomfortable with public spaces.” That was one way to put it. Nikolas wasn’t entirely sure whether or not the doctor knew who his cousin was. “Can she be treated here?”

The doctor paused before answering. “It is possible, but the chances of her survival may be reduced.”

“Nevertheless,” Nikolas said, “it is possible. Anything that I need to do to ensure her well being, I will happily do it.”

The doctor nodded thoughtfully. “She cannot be allowed to lie down and she must drunk plenty of fluids.”

Nikolas nodded thoughtfully. “Why isn’t she allowed to lie down? Surely she needs rest?”

“Yes,” the doctor explained, “she does. But if she were to lie down, the fluid that is in her lungs will pool and she will drown.”

Her cousin nodded in understanding.

“I admire your efforts and determination, young man,” the doctor continued, “but I would still recommend admitting her. As I mentioned before, the illness is very advanced. If we are not careful and vigilant in our care, she will die.”

That was a reality that Nikolas did not want to face. “I will not allow that to happen. I can promise you that.”

~ ~ ~

“Any word?” Tony asked Natasha as soon as he entered the room.

The Russian shook her head, “not yet. But we’ll find her, Tony. I assure you.”

Nodding wordlessly, he walked over to one of the large floor-to-ceiling windows and sighed heavily. Endless possibilities ran through his mind. Numerous situations that she could be in.

“Do you have any ideas of where they might have gone?” Clint’s question broke through his train of thought.

Tony shook his head. “Y/N never really traveled before she went to college. Home was always her favourite place. She stayed there as much as she could.” A small smile accompanied the fond memories.

“This Nikolas, does he travel often?”

Tony thought for a while before nodding. “He never really stays in one place for too long. Except when he’s in the Capital, then he’s there for often months at a time. He stays with his mother.”

The two agents nodded and glanced at each other thoughtfully. So far the FSB had hit the same dead-ends as they had.

Silence stretched between the group as they each thought of where the pair could possibly be. This silence was interrupted by the Director.

“Y’all gonna want to see this,” he stated, walking into the room with an analyst trailing after him.

Curious, the group assembled around him. In turn, Fury held up a folder. “We’ve got her.” Was all he said. They all noticed, however, that his tone was not as triumphant as it should have been.

“Well?” Steve questioned, confused. “This is good news isn’t it?”

The Director nodded and glanced at Tony. “It is and it isn’t.”

“Why are you looking at me like that for?”

“Because,” Fury paused and took a deep breath before continuing. “We found her through the medical system.”

Now it was Tony’s turn to be confused. “The medical system? Y/N’s not even on it.”

Fury nodded. “Now she is. A doctor was called out by her cousin to diagnose her.”

“Diagnose her?” Tony repeated in shock, “with what?”

This was the part that the Director had been dreading. “Pneumonia.”

At this, Tony felt all the blood drain from his face. “I’m sorry, what?” He didn’t want to believe what he had just heard.

“How serious is it?” Bruce asked, curious and shocked, as were the rest of the Avengers.

“Very,” Fury explained. “The doctor spoke to our contact. She is at a very advanced stage. Apparently she refused to be treated at a hospital.”

“She didn’t want us to find her,” Tony finished the sentence in a whisper. This couldn’t be happening.

“I wonder why she hasn’t used the stone yet,” Clint wondered out-loud and Natasha nodded in agreement.

“The important thing is that she hasn’t yet,” Steve replied and glanced at Tony, then at the Director. “Do we know where she is?”

Fury nodded, “these photographs were taken just a few days ago.” He opened the folder and laid out a number of photos taken from security footage.

Nikolas could clearly be seen in each of them, but there was no sign of Y/N.

Tony did not recognise any of the surroundings, but it seemed that Clint did.

“Austria,” he stated. “Just outside of Vienna.”

“How far?” Steve asked.

“About three hours,” Clint replied, “there is a small town. Although, if she were to be taken to a hospital, it’d be the Capital.”

~ ~ ~

“Your Majesty!”

Frigga stopped just outside the entrance to the dungeons and turned around. “Yes?”

“The Allfather wishes to speak with you.”

 _Of course he does_ , Frigga thought to herself. To the servant, she replied with a smile, “I will be there presently.”

She turned to continue down the stair to the entrance when servant once again stopped her. “He requested your immediate presence, Your Majesty. I’m sorry.”

Facing the servant, the Queen nodded. “It is not your fault. But I suppose not even his wife can keep him waiting.” Casting a glance behind her, Frigga followed the servant to the throne room.

Odin waited for her and turned towards her as she entered. “You were visiting the prisoner?”

Frigga lifted her chin and nodded. “I was about to visit _our son_ , yes.”

“He does not deserve your kindness.”

“On the contrary,” Frigga replied, “he needs it now more than ever before.”

“Why do you say that?” Odin questioned. Whether he was genuinely curious or not, she would never know.

“He has suffered a great loss,” the Queen explained. “It is my duty as a mother to comfort and support him.”

“You are not his mother,” Odin reminded her.

Frigga nodded stiffly. “Of that, I am aware. I know I did not birth him. But I am more his mother than the one that did. He was abandoned and left to die, as you well know. But need I remind you that it was _you_ who brought him here? We are as much to blame for his mistakes as he is.”

Odin did not reply right away. His wife did not challenge him often, but when she did, she became a formidable opponent. Her love for their younger son was evident in the way she defended him, even now, after everything he had done.

“What is this loss you speak of?”

Frigga wasn’t sure whether or not she should answer that. In the end, she answered with the truth. “He lost the one he loved.” She decided then and there that she would not reveal the whole truth to him, even if he was the Allfather.

~ ~ ~

When Y/N woke, she was greeted with the sight of her cousin fast asleep on the ground beside her.

Smiling, she reached down and gently patted his head. “Nikolas?” Her voice was a little hoarse and her throat was very dry. When he didn’t respond, she hugged the blanket closer and pushed herself off the chair and walked on shaky legs to where she had left a bottle of water.

Feeling the cold liquid roll down her throat was one of the best feelings and she sighed happily and didn’t stop drinking until the bottle was empty. Setting the bottle down, she walked back her chair and eased herself down. Looking around, she saw the stone lying on the mantle.

Taking a series of deep breaths despite the pain, she got up and retrieved the stone. Feeling a coughing fit coming on, she covered her mouth with her bandaged hand. Not wanting to wake her cousin, Y/N tried to internalise the coughing and minimise the sound.

This resulted in a difficulty breathing.

Nikolas woke to the sounds of her gasping for breath while covering her mouth with her bandaged hand. The blood from the coughs had seeped through onto the material that covered her hand. Y/N’s shoulders were heaving with the effort.

“Y/N?”

The sound of her name drew her eyes to the concerned ones of her cousin. Dropping her hand, Y/N forced a smile, a small trace of blood on her purple lips. “Yes?”

“What were you trying to do?”

“I had to cough, but I didn’t want to wake you,” a weak smile followed her words.

Nikolas was taken aback by her statement. Even now, as sick as she was, she was still thinking of others. “I see you found the stone?” He smirked and looked at the object in her hands.

Y/N nodded. “I want to use it, Nikolas. But I do not exactly know how.”

“You don’t know?” Her cousin exclaimed, surprised. “You went all this way, did all that research but you don’t know how it works?”

“I know how it works,” she admitted, “just not how I’ll get it to work. Do I just ask it to open a portal to a realm of my choosing ?” She shrugged her now-thin shoulders, “or do I have to do some incantation of some kind? I have no idea.”

“You know,” Nikolas knelt down in front of her and took both of her hands in his. “Sometimes it is the simplest option that is the correct one.”

“You really think so?”

Nikolas nodded and made to answer when there was a knock on the door. Casting a confused glance at his cousin, he got up and went to see who it was. The doctor wasn’t due for another few days.

Upon opening the door, he was greeted with faces he wished he didn’t know. “Hello uncle.”

His words startled Y/N. Mustering enough strength to stand, she joined her cousin. Sure enough, her father and his companions stood on the other side.

Tony was shocked to see her. She had changed so much. Her once rosy cheeks were pale and sunken and her lips were a deep shade of purple. Even her beautiful e/c eyes weren’t as clear as they used to be.

“Dad?” Even her voice sounded different. “Wh- what are you doing here?” A slight breeze made her hug the blanket just a little tighter around her shoulders.

“I’ve come to take you home, sweetie.” Tony stepped forward but stopped when he saw the blood on her lips and the blue tinge of her nailbeds.

Y/N shook her head. “I’m no- not going anywhere with you.” Holding up the stone, she smiled as best could despite the pain in her chest. “I have the stone, you all know what it do-does.”

Tony nodded wordlessly.

“I don’t wanna fight with you Dad,” she smiled sadly and coughed, cover her mouth with her bandaged hand. Recovering, she met his worried gaze.

“Please don’t do this Y/N,” Tony tried to reason with her as gently as he could. “You’re not well and in no fit state to travel.”

A spark of determination lit up her eyes. “You’re ri- right, I’m not well. But I’ll be damned if that stops me from keeping the promise I made.”

“You could die!” Tony all but shouted, desperate for her to understand her situation.

“I know,” she murmured, “but if I see him before that happens, I will die a happy woman.”

Tony could not believe what he was hearing. He watched in confused silence as Y/N passed the stone to her cousin and nodded to him.

“The simplest option,” she whispered to him. Nikolas nodded. He knew enough to know where she wanted to go.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I find the single most remarkable thing about love is the way it is doomed to pain and loss from it’s onset. Whether it is the spouse that outlives their lover, or loses them to another, there is no escaping this most solemn of inevitabilities.   
> That two people would commit themselves to all of this hurt and heartache in spite of this, all in the name of experiencing genuine connection for even a moment, is the proof I need that madness exists, and it is awfully beautiful. ~ Beau Taplin (Awfully Beautiful)

_Jane was missing._ That was the last thing Thor needed to hear. When Heimdall had said that he could no longer see her, the Prince believed he had misheard.

Fear overcame his other senses. He had no desire to suffer as his brother had. The sudden need to go to her was overwhelming. He had to make sure she was safe, he could not think of what would happen should she be the opposite.

A guard had brought him the news from the gatekeeper. Without hesitation, he swung Mjolnir skyward and let it carry him to the Bifrost. In such a hurry was he to make sure Jane was safe, that he failed to notice the arrival of two newcomers.

~ ~ ~

Her father had been right. She was in no fit state to travel, let alone across realms. The journey, though short, had taken it’s toll on her.

The pain in her chest spiked to a whole new level, causing her knees to buckle and give way beneath her. Nikolas caught her just before she collapsed to the ground. Her skin was burning hot to the touch, yet she was shivering as though it were icy cold. Her pale skin had begun to look a little gray and her hands trembled as they covered her mouth against another fit of coughing.

Nikolas held her close and lay a cool hand to her feverish skin. “Shhhh,” he soothed as a painful whimper escaped her. “We’re here, we’re here.” Bending slightly, he lifted her into his arms and began to walk.

It was the colour of her hair that caught the Queen’s attention. The sun caught onto the Y/F/C strands and the late morning breeze toyed with them. Frigga believed, that without a doubt, that this was her, Y/N Stark. Her hair was exactly as Thor had described it and as she had seen in the reflection.

The young woman lay curled in her companion’s arms. Her hands hugged close to her chest. Her lips, Frigga noticed with shock, were such a deep purple that they appeared almost black. Her thin shoulders shook as she coughed into her one bandaged hand. Even from where she stood, the Queen could make out the blood.

Needing no further evidence that this was her, Frigga hurried towards them.

Nikolas stopped short as a dignified, well-dressed woman came towards them and stopped a short distance away. Feeling the weight of his cousin in his arms and being all too aware of her deteriorating state, he took a deep breath and spoke to the woman. “Excuse me, My Lady. My cousin is unwell and needs help. If you can help us in any way, I would be most grateful.”

Frigga smiled at the young man. Moving closer, she nodded. “Of course. Come along, my healers will attend to her.”

Surprised by the offer, Nikolas nodded wordlessly and followed the woman into the palace.

Frigga guided them through the palace’s winding hallways. Every now and then she would look over her shoulder, her eyes trained on the young woman. She recalled Thor saying that she was severely unwell, but now, as the Queen watched her, she realised that that had been an understatement.

Y/N was only barely aware of her changing surroundings. Her tired eyes barely registered where she was, the only thing she was sure of were her cousin’s arms as they carried her. Swallowing, she winced at how dry her throat was and how much her head hurt. Despite the discomfort, her eyes felt heavy and Y/N was tempted to close them.

“You stay awake, do you hear me?” Nikolas pleaded with her. He had seen how eyes had grown more and more tired and how heavy her eyelids seemed to be.

“I’m so tired,” she murmured, “i- it’s just for a little bit.”

“Don’t you dare close your eyes!” His urgent tone drew the Queen’s attention. “Please! Come on!” He begged her as her eyelids seemed to close.

Stopping, Frigga turned and hurried back to them. Y/N it seemed, had given in. Her head rested against her companion’s chest, her eyes were closed. Reaching out, she lay a gentle hand on one of her wrists.

“There’s still a pulse right?” Nikolas asked her, his blue eyes desperate.

The Queen nodded, “it is very weak. We have to hurry. She doesn’t have long.”

Spurred on, the pair hurried down the hallway and came at last to large set of doors. Pushing them open, Frigga led Nikolas to the other end of the room. Healers had begun to gather, it was not often that the Queen herself came to the Healing Rooms.

Nikolas was only vaguely aware of their guide speaking with another woman and every so often looking at Y/N.

“You’re going to be okay,” he whispered, holding her good hand as she lay on the healing table. Her eyes were still closed and her breathing was becoming shallow and laboured. “You’re going to make it, you hear me, Y/N. Remember your promise, hmm? You’re so close now. Almost there. You will see him soon.”

Frigga, who had explained the situation to the healers, smiled sadly at the young man’s words. She obviously meant a great deal to him. Approaching him, she lay a gentle hand on his shoulder. “She is important to you?”

Nikolas nodded, “she is my cousin, more like a sister though.” His eyes did not leave her, even as the healers began to work on her. The Queen put a gentle hand on his arm.

“Come,” she steered him towards the door. “They will do all they can to help her. There is nothing more you or I can do.”

As much as he wanted to stay by her side, he acknowledged to truth in what he was told. Y/N was in good hands and receiving the help she so desperately needed.

~ ~ ~ 

_“Loki?  Loki?”_

Was he imagining things? He had to be. There was no denying who’s voice that was. Yet he felt her presence, as though she was right next to him.

“Stop it.” He hissed, hoping that it would drive the voice away. His tormented mind often played tricks on him, but this one was by far the cruelest. Her voice seemed so real and her presence felt so tangible. “Go away.” He closed his eyes and forced himself to regain his composure. It would not do for the other prisoners to see him thus.

In a further effort to distract himself, he moved to stand by the cell’s barrier. There were all manner of prisoners in Odin’s dungeons. His emerald gaze shifted to a group of new prisoners being ‘escorted’ in. No doubt they came from Vanaheim, the most recent of his brother’s conquests. Soon growing bored, he turned away.

“The books I sent, do they not interest you?”

His eyes flew to the speaker and sighed when he saw who it was. “Is that how I’m going to wile away eternity?” He shot back, “by reading?”

Frigga simply smiled. “I’ve done what I can to make you comfortable.”

Loki smiled nastily. “Does Odin share your concern? Does Thor?” He inclined his head, his eyes trained on her. “It must be so inconvenient to have them ask after me, day and night.” Sarcasm dripped from every word.

Frigga sighed. She had become familiar with this particular mask of his. She debated with herself, should she tell him as she had originally planned? Or was it better left unsaid? Should she raise his hopes even though it was unlikely that he would ever see her again? In the end, she did the only thing she could do. She told the truth. “Loki?”

“Yes?” He turned around.

“Y/N,” Frigga saw a small spark in his eyes at the mention of the name. “She is here.”

~ ~ ~

Thor was relieved beyond words to find Jane safe and unharmed. Seeing her there, amidst the rain, was one of the most beautiful sights he had ever seen. The slap he received from her was as surprising as it was, he believed, undeserved.

“I’m sorry,” she spoke quickly, “I had to make sure you were real.”

Thor merely nodded, still stunned. Then, a second slap came, just as surprising as the first.

“Where were you?” Jane demanded. “I saw you with the Avengers in New York!”

“I was defending Earth,” Thor explained as calmly as he could.

“Is that really your excuse?” Jane looked only half convinced.

Thor nodded confidently, “yes.”

“Well,” Jane bit her lip and paused a little before continuing, “as far as excuses go, it’s not terrible.”

“Jane,” he closed the distance between them and lay a gentle hand on her cheek. “I fought to protect you from the horrors of my world. I was wrong however, I was a fool. But,” he smiled down at her, “I believe fate has brought us together. Jane, I don’t know where you were or what happened,” he took a breath and continued, “but I do know this-” unwittingly his eyes drifted down to her lips.

“Know what?”  Jane, it seemed had the same idea.

Their lips almost touched when Darcy stepped up beside Jane. Shattering the moment.

Sighing in frustration, Jane turned to her intern. “We were kind of in the middle of something here.”

“Yeah,” Darcy drew out the word and cast a quick look behind them. “I’m pretty sure we’re getting arrested.” Sure enough, multiple police cars had pulled up behind them.

~ ~ ~

_It had felt like an eternity since she had last laid eyes on him. Her e/c eyes feasted on the sight of him. They drank in every detail and committed it to memory._

_‘How dangerous’, she thought to herself, ‘to finally have something worth losing’. A small smile graced her features as she began to make her way to where he lay on the bed. His emerald eyes were closed and his chest rose and fell in the slow rhythm of sleep._

_Leaning forward, she pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead. “My love. My soul. The very air I breathe and cannot do without. My Loki.” Reaching out, she gently brushed a stray strand of ebony hair away from his forehead and smiled down at him. “You are my eternity.”_

Blinking, Y/N looked up and met the concerned yet relieved eyes of her cousin.

“Hi there,” he spoke in a soft voice. The relief he had felt seeing her eyes open had almost made his knees buckle. “Welcome back.”

Y/N did not answer right away. She reached out with a slightly trembling hand and smiled when Nikolas took hold of it. “What happened? Where am I ?”

Chuckling, Nikolas answered her. “We are in Asgard, my dear cousin. The travel from our world advanced your condition.” His eyes saddened as he remembered her in that state. “We almost lost you.”

Swallowing hard, she gently squeezed the hand that held her’s. “You can’t get rid of me that easily. You should know that by now.” She still felt weak, but the chill was gone, as was the incessant shivering and coughing.

Smoothing her hair away from her eyes, Nikolas replied. “You already look so much better.”

It was then that Y/N remembered what he had said about where they were. “Is he here?”

Knowing exactly who she meant, Nikolas nodded and smirked. “That depends. In this world? Or in the palace?”

“The palace,” she whispered, her heart hammered erratically at the very thought of him.

“Yes,” came her cousin’s reply.

Never had that word sounded so beautiful. Pushing herself up, Y/N rested on her elbows to catch her breath.

‘Whoa, there. Hang on a second. Where do you think you’re going?” Nikolas held two hands up as though to stop her.

Y/N looked at him as though the answer was overly obvious. “I’m going to find him.”

“No, you’re not.” Nikolas took a step towards her. “You have just woken up from a pneumonia-induced coma. You almost died....again. You’re not going anywhere.”

“Are you serious?” Y/N looked at him as though he’d grown an additional pair of arms. “You came all this way to try and stop me when I’m so close?”

Sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose, Nikolas answered her. “Alright, fine. Let me rephrase that, you’re not going anywhere _alone_.”

~ ~ ~

“How dare you say such a thing?” Loki hissed. He wanted to believe what the Queen had told him, but his mind would not let him.

“I dare,” Frigga continued, “because it is the truth. Y/N is alive and she is here in Asgard.”

“I watched her die,” he said, half to her and half to himself. “I watched her drown.”

Frigga watched him as he paced the length of the cell. She prayed she had done the right thing in telling him. “She would have, had her cousin not saved her at the last moment.”

“Her cousin?” He murmured and narrowed his eyes in thought. “Nikolas.” A wave of relief washed over him. His heart begged him to believe what the Queen was telling him, pleading with him to realise the truth. Taking a deep breath, he turned to face her. His eyes silently begging her. “Is she really here?”

Frigga nodded and approached him. “Yes. She is.” Smiling up at him, she continued, “she kept her promise.”

_She was there. She was alive._ Loki smiled inwardly and closed his eyes to stop the tears that were threatening to fall.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You want to know what it was ? The moment I knew you were it ? It was when I showed you the darkest parts of me, and instead of running away, you rolled out a blanket, lay on your back and pointed out the stars. ~ Beau Taplin (Astronomy)

“Could you at least have waited until you could breathe properly?”

Y/N smiled weakly and looked up at her cousin. Her lungs were still recovering and this resulted in a frequent loss of breath.

“And besides,” Nikolas continued, “do you know where we’re going? These hallways all look the same.”

Y/N straightened her posture and made to speak when the sound of hurried footsteps echoed off the columns around them.

Frigga sighed with relief when Y/N’s head of Y/F/C hair came into view. She was leaning against a column while her cousin stood beside her.

“Y/N?”

The young woman’s head shot in her direction and her e/c eyes widened slightly. She was no doubt confused as to how she knew her name.

Y/N was indeed confused. The woman that was coming towards them seemed vaguely familiar. How did she know who she was? Nikolas, however seemed to know the woman slightly better.

“My Lady?” He addressed her as she came to a stop next to them.

“While I am most relieved to see your cousin awake, what is she doing up and walking?”

Nikolas smirked and glanced briefly at Y/N before answering. “When she has set her mind to something, next to nothing can stop her.”

“And what exactly has she set her mind to now?”

Before Nikolas could utter a word in reply, Y/N stepped into the conversation.

“I’m looking for someone.”

Frigga smiled and inclined her head. “Maybe I can help you?”

All of a sudden, nerves took over. Y/N clenched her hands together to stop them from shaking. Shooting her cousin a hopeful glance, she turned her attention back to the woman before her. “Really? But I haven’t said who it is yet.”

The Queen’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “You need not worry young one. I know whom you seek.”

“But how?”

“As a mother, there is little my sons can hide from me,” Frigga explained. “Both of whom you have met.”

Y/N was silent as realisation washed over her. Beside her, Nikolas seemed to processing the information as well.

“You- you’re his mother?” Her voice was just above a whisper.

Frigga nodded, “indeed I am.”

Y/N had no idea how to process that information. Her mind was reeling.

“I know of the promise you made him, before he left your world.”

“You- you do?” Y/N winced inwardly at the stuttering words. Where had that come from? “How?”

“Thor mentioned it shortly after their return.”

Taking a deep breath, Y/N hoped her voice would be steady. “How is he?”

Frigga knew exactly to she was referring to. Inclining her head, she replied, “come along.”

“Where are we going?” Y/N asked, her voice thankfully steady.

“To speak with him, of course.”

~ ~ ~ 

Tony wasn’t entirely sure of how he was going to explain this to Pepper. She had been more shell-shocked than he when they found out what Y/N had done. She had refused to believe even the most credible of sources. Tony didn’t even want to imagine her reaction to finding out about the illness.

_Was Y/N alive?_ This question ran loops in his tormented mind. He knew that, for as long as he lived, he would never forget how she looked that day. Her eyes dimmed and hollow, her once-rosy cheeks an ashy gray and sunken-looking. Her luscious hair looking too heavy for her thin frame to carry.

Looking up at the star-sprinkled night sky, he let out a long, heavy sigh. _Would he ever see her again?_ His precious girl. His beautiful daughter. But despite the enmity he felt towards the man she loved, he could not help but admire her determination to fight for those she cared about. Her promise, though given to a criminal, had remained unbroken.

The moon was full that night. _“A silver sun”_ , Y/N would always say with a wistful smile. The light of the moon was often reflected in her e/c eyes; she always insisted on spending most of the night outside whenever a full moon came.

The team had left him to his own devices. No one knew what to say or how to act. They all knew how protective Tony was over his daughter. Even Fury had remained silent on the topic

_Why him?_ Tony often found himself asking, _of all people, why did it have to be him?_ Tony had never pressured her to find someone _,_ he always believed that when she did, he would have to be someone who was a cut above the rest. Someone who was unlike the others. Y/N, if anything, had standards that she refused to drop or lower for anyone.

~ ~ ~ 

Stumbling out of the Bifrost, Jane was smiling from ear to ear. Adrenaline was rushing through her system. That was unlike anything she had ever experienced. “We definitely need to try that again,” she said to Thor who had landed a little more gracefully beside her.

Smiling, Thor shook his head and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Come.”

The view that greeted her was unlike anything she had ever seen. The sun sparkled on the water that flowed beneath the bridge and reflected off the numerous palace-like structures. “Wow,” she breathed, “it’s so-”

“I know,” the pride in the Prince’s voice was obvious. He would never grow tired of the sight.

As they neared the citadel, Jane was even gladder of Thor’s presence. She was positive that she would have long since gotten lost if she had been by herself.

The citadel itself was a marvel. The towering columns and arching hallways had Jane staring and speaking in half sentences.

Chuckling, Thor led her towards the Healing Rooms. What he had witnessed on Midgard was enough to get him worried.

“What do you think is wrong with me?” She whispered to him as they neared their destination.

“I don’t know,” he answered, “but we will know soon.” Kissing the top of her head, he tightened his hold, “I promise.”

~ ~ ~

He had not believed in love at first sight until she had walked into his life. From a race he had always looked down on. From a race he believed to be less than his own. As wretched as he was in his present state, he still held onto this belief.

As for true love. That was a sentiment and notion he had believed only to exist within stories. He saw no use for the emotion and often thought of it as a weakness, a vulnerability. The love of his mother was all he believed he ever needed.

Then, she came. Not with a herald announcing her, no fanfare and no celebrations were held in honour of her arrival. No. Nothing like that. Nor did she wear grand headdresses that complimented flowing gowns. Definitely not that. Soft footsteps signaled her presence. Curious eyes sparkled in the place of intricate gems. Her hair was slightly tousled from sleep and her clothes were far from grand. The smile she had greeted him with was more beautiful than any he had ever seen.

Before he learnt her name, he loved her. Before he knew anything about her, he wanted her. Before she spoke, he desired her.

Like a gentle breeze she had come into his life. A mortal. The daughter of his enemy. Even after that discovery, he could not bring himself to hate her. Only the Fates would ever know how hard he had tried.

_“Y/N is alive and she is here in Asgard.”_ His mother’s words floated through his memory and the ten most beautiful words he had ever heard.

He thought of the last time they saw each other, and remembered the promises they had made.

_“I will find you, I promise.”_

_~ ~`~_

“Ho- how does this work?” Y/N asked, cursing herself for stuttering again.

“Its very simple,” Frigga replied. “We will see him and he will see us.”

“I will actually be able to see him?” Y/N couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Finally! It had felt like much longer than two years. After everything, here she was. “Will he hear me?”

The Queen nodded. “Yes. He will be able to see and hear you. But he will not be able to touch you.”

“What? Why?” Y/N was confused, if not a little downtrodden.

“It is an illusion,” Frigga explained, “this is the only way I am able to visit him.”

Blinking, Y/N nodded, “I suppose it’s better than nothing. After these past couple of years, what’s gonna hurt from waiting a little bit longer?”

Nikolas smiled and shrugged his shoulders. “This is what you have been working towards these past two years, cousin. All the work and research has led to this moment.”

The nerves seemed to overwhelm her as the Queen began to work on creating the illusion.

Y/N became so focused on trying to stay calm that she didn’t notice the Queen was ready. Only when she nudged her forward, did Y/N realise.

Her heart leapt. There he was, as beautiful and as perfect as the last time she had seen him. He was right there and all she had to do was say something. That was all she had to do to get his attention. Looking to Frigga for encouragement, she licked her lips and took a deep breath.

~ ~ ~

“Lo-Loki?”

That had to be a figment of his imagination. It just had to be.

“It’s me,” the voice was a little stronger this time.

“No,” he hissed to himself, “you’re not real. You’re not real.” He shook his head, “go away.”

“I-, please look at me. Please.” She sounded so real, it felt as though she was actually in the cell with him.

“Go away, I said.”

There was a moment of silence and he began to wonder if he had indeed imagined it all.

“I have not spent the past two years looking for every possible way to get to you, for you to dismiss me like this!”

He froze when he heard that. His mind began to rebel. What if this really was her?

“Turn around, please?” The voice went soft again, “I’ve come this far. Please don’t make me regret it.”

He released a shuddering breath.

“I risked everything for you,” the hard edge was back. “I’ve become a fugitive in my own world. My own father is hunting me. All because of the promise I made to you.” A strangled sob followed the words. “Are you going to make me regret it?”

The fight in her voice was new. It was this that told him all he needed to know.

Turning around he was met with a sight he had only dreamed of. She looked exactly the same, a little thinner perhaps, but very much alive. “Y/N?” His voice trembled slightly.

“Yes,” her e/c eyes were liquid with the tears she was holding back.

“You came.”

She nodded and smiled, “of course I did.”

“Are you really here?”

She gave no verbal answer, she simply nodded, her lips trembling.

“My love,” he whispered, loud enough only for her to hear. This seemed to undo any control she had. The tears came, followed by a smile that would put the sun to shame. Reaching out, his hand only met empty air. The green light of an illusion surrounded her before she disappeared.

 


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know we can’t seem to catch a break. And sometimes it feels like the whole universe is conspiring against us. But damn the stars, I choose you. And whatever the odds, no challenge or obstacle will ever be enough to stand in our way. ~ Beau Taplin (Damn The Stars)

They came without warning. They came and the peace of the Aesir was shattered. They came for the Aether and would not leave without it.

They had planned it all. For centuries they had planned it.

Beings of darkness, they were. Seeking to make the universe a place of darkness once more. A place where no light could ever exist.

For the Aether to end up in a place like Asgard was truly a remarkable coincidence and one that Malekith could not ignore.

The attack erupted from the inside. From within the bowels of the citadel. 

~ ~ ~

Y/N believed she was safe with the Queen. She had never been more wrong. It quickly became obvious that nowhere in the palace was safe.

The attacks had been sudden. The Aesir scrambled to defend themselves against the sudden onslaught and Frigga, along with Nikolas had insisted that Y/N was safer at the Queen’s side.

“I can look after myself,” Y/N whispered to her cousin as the Queen spoke with a group of guards.

“I know you can,” Nikolas replied in the same tone, “but this isn’t our world. I just don’t want you to get into any trouble.”

“And where will you be going?” Y/N demanded, folding her arms over her chest.

“To offer my help to the Prince,” Nikolas explained, “he may not know me, but I believe that, right now, that is of little consequence.”

Opening her mouth to reply, Y/N was cut off by Frigga, who approached the pair with a grim expression.

“What is it, My Lady?” Nikolas stepped forward.

“There is chaos in the dungeons. Some of the prisoners have broken free. It is a bloodbath.”

_The dungeons._ Y/N felt all the blood drain from her face and she found it hard to breathe. “Which prisoners?” She managed to choke out, her e/c eyes darting to the Queen’s face.

Frigga caught on quick. Y/N’s fears had become the same as hers when she had heard the news. “Vanir.”

Y/N didn’t know whether or not to be relieved.

Frigga shook her head in answer to the unasked question in Y/N’s eyes. “He did not cause this.”

“Is he alright, though?” Y/N was grateful at how steady her voice sounded.

“I do not know,” the Queen’s eyes became sad.

The sound of running soon stopped any replies Y/N may have had. She barely registered it when Frigga took her hand and pulled her in the opposite direction.

Chaos reigned around them as they sought sanctuary. Y/N’s mind was with her cousin, wherever he was. She panicked just thinking about what if the worst would happen.

Countless scenarios flashed before her eyes as she ran.

Numerous fallen littered the halls, both enemy and not. Y/N kept up with the Queen as best she could, her weak lungs protesting with every breath she took.

“Y/N, come along, we must hurry,” Frigga spoke in a hushed tone. Her eyes darted over their surroundings, the hallway in which they were was strangely silent and empty. “Jane is waiting.”

Y/N nodded and held up a hand as her chest continued to heave for breath. She had no idea who Jane was, but now was not the time to ask.

Straightening, Y/N took a final breath before answering. “Why is it so quiet?” Her e/c eyes swept over the hallway curiously.

The Queen shrugged and shook her head. “I have been asking myself that same question. Here,” she reached over her shoulder and produced a dagger, “take this. I have no doubt that you will have need of this.”

Accepting the weapon, Y/N nodded in thanks.

“Come, we must hurry. It is only a matter of time before they find us.”

“Who is ‘they’?”

“Dark Elves,” Frigga explained, “a race that favours darkness over light. An unpleasant race, to be sure.”

Y/N soon found herself agreeing before once again following the Aesir Queen down the abandoned passageway.

~ ~ ~

The Queen had been right. The situation in the dungeons was complete and utter chaos. How such a small group of people managed to create such a disaster, was beyond Nikolas’s understanding.

The Prince had readily accepted his help. Everywhere he looked there was conflict and each more violent than the last.

Grateful for the blades the Prince had given him, Nikolas cut down all those that crossed his path. While his mind was mostly on his own situation, he could not help but wonder of his cousin had found some place that would put her out of harm’s way. She was still recovering after all. He dreaded to think of what would happen should she encounter one of the creatures he was now locked in combat with.

~ ~ ~

Jane yelped in surprise as the door burst open. Frigga and another young woman stumbled through the door.

The young woman was breathing heavily and gasping for breath. Leaning against the wall, she closed her eyes and took a series of deep breaths.

“Who’s that?” Jane whispered to the Queen. She seemed strangely familiar.

Frigga smiled grimly. “She is a mortal, like yourself.”

“Is she alright?” Jane asked in a worried tone, her eyes trained on the young woman, who’s eyes remained closed.

Frigga nodded. “She is recovering from a serious illness. Her lungs are a little weak.”

Nodding, Jane approached the young woman. “Hello?”

Her eyes fluttered open. Blinking in confusion she looked at Jane. “Hello.” Her voice sounded a little strained.

“My name is Jane,” she held out a hand in introduction. “Jane Foster.”

The young woman shook her hand. “Y/N Stark.”

Jane’s eyes widened. “ _The_ Y/N Stark?”

Y/N nodded, not sure where this was going. “I suppose so, yes.”

“I’m sorry,” Jane apologised, seeing the young woman’s obvious confusion. “I’ve heard a lot about you, because of, well, you know...”

Realisation slammed into her. Y/N felt the blood rush to her cheeks. “Yes, well...”

Frigga watched the two women with a slight smile. Two mortal women who had captured the minds and hearts of her sons.

~ ~ ~

Malekith stalked through the palace. He could sense the Aether. It was so close. Then he felt it, a familiar presence he had not sensed in centuries. But what was it doing here?

His men had wreaked suitable damage. He only hoped that the Kursed had fulfilled his pledge and played his part.

~ ~ ~

Despite the chaos and havoc being wrought just a few feet away, Loki was quite content to simply read. He knew his brother was there, he had all but announced his presence.

The sounds of the fighting did little to disturb his reading. His mind however, was elsewhere. It was with her. He prayed that nothing had happened to her. He had only just gotten her back, he could bare the thought of losing her again.

_Stay safe_ , he thought. _Please._

She had changed. Of that much he was certain. There was something different in her eyes. There was a fight in her that hadn’t been there before.

~ ~ ~

“Why are they even here?” Y/N asked, her mind reeling with questions.

“They are here for the Aether,” Frigga replied and made to explain but stopped when she saw Y/N’s eyes widen. “You know of it?”

Y/N nodded, “Yes. I wish I didn’t, but, yeah. I’ve read about it. I thought it was just a story.”

Frigga shook her head. “It would be better if it were.”

“How do they know it’s here?”

Jane and Frigga exchanged a look before Jane stepped forward. “Their leader, Malekith is able to sense it’s presence and followed it here.”

Y/N cringed. “That doesn’t sound too good.”

“It isn’t,” Jane agreed.

“But,” Y/N continued with a thoughtful expression. “What if we just hid it in a place where he wouldn’t be able to find it? Shouldn’t we be doing that?”

Frigga stepped in before Jane could answer. “We are doing that.”

Y/N narrowed her eyes, “but how? How is the three of us hiding in here hiding the Aether?”

“Because,” Jane answered hesitantly. “It’s me, well, not really. It’s inside me.”

Y/N felt her jaw drop and her eyes widen. “Are you serious?!”

“I’m afraid so,” Frigga murmured. “A most unfortunate situation to be sure.”

“Understatement of the year,” Y/N murmured to herself.

Silence hung like a heavy curtain around them. No one knowing what to say, or if they should say anything at all.

During the silence, Y/N’s overactive imagination kicked in. Horrific visions of her cousin fighting those creatures played in front of her. The worry she felt only increased as the minutes ticked by. No matter how much she paced or tried to calm herself, nothing seemed to work.

Then it hit her. Taking out the dagger that the Queen had given her, Y/N examined it for a brief moment before turning to where Frigga and Jane had been watching her.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but I have to go.”

“Go?!” Frigga repeated in confusion, though part of her told her what Y/N intended to do.

“Yes,” Y/N nodded and licked her lips before continuing. “I appreciate the effort to keep me safe but, I can’t simply stay here and do nothing while my cousin is out there fighting those creatures.” Her eyes silently begged the Queen to understand her reasoning.

“I promised him,” Frigga reminded her.

“I- I know,” Y/N faltered for a brief moment before lifting her chin. “But this is my decision,” she paused and glanced briefly between the two women. “And he is my family.” Her words were whispered, but they heard them all the same.

Not waiting for a reply, she turned away from them and pulled the door open. Not looking to see if the coast was clear, she left the room and ran as fast as her recovering lungs would allow her to.

~ ~ ~

While Malekith’s main focus was the Aether, the second presence he had felt demanded his attention just as much.

He was at war with himself. Both were important to both himself and his race. This presence had not been felt since the war that wiped out all but a few of his people. One that he believed he would not feel again. Until now.

Choosing to pursue his original path, Malekith ordered his guards to search the palace.

~ ~ ~

The fight in the dungeons seemed to have no end. Nikolas was beginning to feel the telltale signs of exhaustion. He knew that, under no circumstances, he could show it. His opponents were skilled enough as it was.

The fight had driven him towards the more isolated cells. He had been separated from the Prince for a good while now.

~ ~ ~

Only when a figure approached his cell, did Loki look up from his book. The young man had his back to him.

Mildly curious as to who the man was, the younger Prince was tempted to ask him. His question was answered when....

“NIKOLAS?”

His heart skipped a beat. He would know that voice anywhere. His eyes scanned the crowd and finally spotted her. Even from where he stood, he could clearly see that the dagger she held was his mother’s. He silently thanked her for giving it to her.

The young man by his cell looked up when she called. So, this was her cousin then. Interesting.

“Y/N?” Her cousin breathed, confused to see her there. Pushing himself away from the stone column, he fought his way to where she stood.

Y/N’s knees threatened to buckle with the relief she felt at seeing him alive. Relying on the basic fighting skills she had developed over the years, she braved the fight. She froze however when she saw who’s cell Nikolas was near.

In that moment, she forgot how to breathe. Her eyes locked with his and in that moment, the two of them were alone. The fight faded away as did all the noise that accompanied it.

Loki could hardly believe it. There she was, a short distance away from him. What he saw in her eyes mirrored the immense relief and wonder he felt. After everything he had seen her endure, here she was, a mere few feet away from him. Alive and with fire in her beautiful eyes.

Y/N was torn back to the present she felt someone grab her arm roughly from behind. The grip was tight enough to bruise and no matter how hard she fought, it would not let go.

Nikolas, it seemed had seen it too. “Let her go,” he demanded of the Dark Elf that held his cousin. Brandishing his weapon, he charged his cousin’s captor.

While the elf was fighting her cousin, Y/N continued to fight for release. The creature had just happened to grab her sword arm. Sighing in frustration, Y/N resorted to hand-to-hand combat, but mostly kicking and swinging wildly with one arm.

She became so preoccupied with trying to get free that she did not notice her cousin’s waning strength. Her captor, however, did notice.

A hissed, “Stop,” brought her up short. Her e/c eyes widened in horror as she saw Nikolas at sword point. “You will come with me or he dies.”

Y/N could not believe what she was hearing. How did it all come to this? She vehemently shook her head. “I won’t be going anywhere with you and your kind.”

Nikolas looked up at her with something akin to pride shining in his tired eyes. “You tell ‘em cuz.”

She tried to smile, to show him how strong she was supposed to be. Her eyes were quickly filling with tears and she fought to keep them from spilling over. “Nikolas..” she sounded far from the strong and confident woman she knew she was supposed to be.

Loki watched frozen in his cell. He watched as all the fight seemed to leave her. Her eyes were liquid from the tears she was holding back.

The scream that followed the blow was unlike anything Loki had ever heard. It silenced the fight and brought time to a standstill.

Y/N could not believe it. She would not. Time ceased to have meaning for her. Finally fighting free, she collapsed by her cousin’s fallen form and pulled him close. The tears she had been holding back streamed down her cheeks. His blood soaked the gown she was wearing.

The grief in her eyes when she looked up at him was something Loki wished never to experience. Her pain tore at his heart. “Y/N?” He whispered gently.

His voice was music to her ears. A balm to her tortured mind and soul. Gently laying Nikolas’s still form on the cold ground, she made to go to the cell when she was ripped away. Her cousin’s murderer pulled her away, his arm around her waist.

“NO!” Y/N screamed in both frustration and pain. “LOKI. NIKOLAS!” Her pained eyes met his emerald ones and she fought to reach him, but the elf was too strong and he dragged her kicking and screaming from the dungeons.

“Y/N!” Her name followed her and only increased the strength of her resistance.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is no more precious privilege than to be loved without reserve or judgement. To look deeply into your partner’s eyes and see that, despite your many faults and flaws, you are cherished precisely as you are. Once you have known a love like that in your life, it stays with you forever. ~ Beau Taplin (Illuminate)

The funeral for the fallen was held that night. All of Asgard was in attendance. Jane stood beside Thor as the funeral boats were released, each decorated in accordance to the Aesir burial custom.

The night was clear. Almost too beautiful for such an occasion.

Frigga stood at Odin’s side, her heart with the families of the fallen. All of Asgard grieved that night. The sky was sprinkled with stars and a warm breeze blew, helping the boats on their way.

As Jane watched the boats, she silently thanked the Queen. If it had not been for her, she would have been taken, or worse. She had heard the screams and she feared she would not forget them. It was a sound filled with such pain and anger than Jane could barely imagine what had elicited such a reaction.

~ ~ ~

She had been so close. She had been a mere few steps away. Until he got her back, the sight of her fighting to reach him would haunt his dreams.

_“LOKI. NIKOLAS!”_

The memory echoed around the cell. Her struggle as the Kursed pulled her away would be forever branded in his memory.

The way she fought to reach him surprised him. No one had ever fought like that for him before. She had continued to fight even as she was pulled further and further away, her hands reaching for him but grabbing only empty air.

Her eyes never left his, even when she was at the dungeon entrance. Then she was gone, but though he could not see her, he heard her. He heard her scream for him and for her fallen cousin.

What did the Dark Elves want with her? A mortal woman of little importance to those who did not know her. What was she to them?

~ ~ ~

Despite his anger at not having found the Aether, Malekith thought back to the young woman the Kursed had brought before him.

_A fiery one to be sure. She had been fighting when she was brought to him, struggling violently. But when her eyes landed on him, she went completely still before throwing herself forward and screaming one word. “MURDERER!” She screamed it over and over again, her struggles only increasing._

_“What is your name?” Malekith asked her, thinking that perhaps it would slow down her motions._

_“I’m not telling you anything,” she hissed and curled her lip, baring her teeth like some wild animal. “You killed my cousin. I won’t tell you a thing.”_

_Malekith sighed in exasperation and looked down at her. “You will answer my questions young one. One way or another.”_

_She only smiled nastily and fought to get closer to him. “Prepare to be disappointed,” she snarled and lunged for him. The Kursed roughly pulled her back just in time._

_“Such a shame,” Malekith spoke, “this was not how I pictured our introduction.”_

_“I never pictured it,” she replied, breathing heavily. Her eyes held a murderous glint in them._

Flashing back to the present, the Dark Elf blinked and shook his head. If that girl was who he imagined her to be....damn her! If only he had learnt her name.

~ ~ ~

It was dark and something cold and heavy was wrapped around her wrist. That was all Y/N knew.

Since her ‘conversation’ with who she presumed to be Malekith, she had been left in this room. Or at least, that’s what she thought it was. There were no windows to let in light or to tell her where she was. Was it day or night? Y/N had lost all sense of time.

She felt tired but dreaded closing her eyes. She feared what she would see, and _who_ she would see.

“Oh Nikolas,” she murmured, a lump rising in her throat. “I’m so sorry. I should have just listened to you.” She buried her head in her hands and let the tears come.

“Shhh,” a gentle voice broke though her tears.

Feeling a soft touch on her wrists, Y/N lowered her hands and looked at the speaker.

“Are you a ghost?” She whispered.

He shook his head and smiled. “No, dear cousin, I am no ghost.”

“A spirit then? Sent to haunt me for my wrongdoing?” Her voice took on a hysteric tone.

“No,” Nikolas shook his head and smoothed her hair away from her face. “And you did nothing wrong.”

“But I did!” Y/N protested desperately, “if I hadn’t come looking for you-”

“Shhh,” Nikolas cut her off gently. “You did what you believed was right,” he pulled her in and wrapped his arms around her. “No one can fault you for that.”

 She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. “I miss you, cousin.”

That was how Malekith found her. With her arms wrapped around herself and crying into her folded arms while she rocked herself back and forth.

~ ~ ~

“We possess the Aether,” Odin reminded his son, “Malekith with come to _us_.”

“Yes,” Thor agreed, “and he will destroy us.”

“You overestimate the power of these creatures.”

“No, I value our people’s lives,” Thor tried to reason with his father. “I’ll take Jane to the Dark World and draw the enemy away from Asgard. When Malekith draws the Aether from Jane, it will be exposed and vulnerable. And then I will destroy it and him.”

Odin did not reply right away. He paused and looked over the damage caused in the throne room. “And if you fail,” he spoke, turning to face Thor. “You risk this weapon falling into the hand of our enemies.”

“The risk is far greater if we do nothing,” Thor challenged. “His ship could be over our heads right now, we would never even know it.”

“If and when he comes,” Odin replied, “his men will fall on 10,000 Aesir blades.”

“And how many of our men will fall on their’s?” Thor shot back.

“As many as are needed!”

Thor couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“We will fight!” Odin continued, “to the last Aesir breath! To the last drop of Aesir blood!”

“Then how different are you from Malekith?” Thor shook his head in disbelief.

“The difference, my son,” Odin explained. “Is that I will win.”

~ ~ ~

“Your thoughts kill you don’t they?” His mother’s soft voice broke through his train of thought.

Blinking, Loki turned to face her. His expression was neutral. It hid the vortex of emotions inside. “Hello, mother.”

“Oh, Loki,” Frigga sighed, “you needn’t act so indifferent. A great tragedy has befallen our realm. To show emotion is perfectly acceptable.”

“I felt nothing for those people,” he reminded her.

“But you feel something for _her_ do you not?” Frigga asked him, her eyes sad. “I can see it in your eyes. The panic. The fear. What has gotten you so scared?”

“She-” he began but cut himself off, her screaming running loops in his mind. “She should never have come.”

“But she did,” Frigga reminded him gently. “She did, because she _loves you_.”

“That is the problem!” The Prince exclaimed. “If she didn’t, she would never even have thought about coming. She would never have thought about me or this accursed place.”

Frigga thought it best to perhaps let him speak uninterrupted.

“But because she did, she almost died, twice! Now her only remaining family is dead-” he paused to catch his breath. “And those creatures have taken her for goodness-knows what reason.”

Frigga stepped in, her voice soft. “I came too late to save her. I could have pulled her back. I could have stopped her.”

His rant interrupted, Loki looked at his mother in surprise.

“Her cousin asked me to keep her safe,” the Queen continued. “Her safety was his topmost concern. But she could not be held back,” she shook her sadly.

~ ~ ~

“You were not at Odin’s War Council,” Thor remarked to Heimdall.

“The Bifrost is closed,” Heimdall replied, setting his horned helmet down on the table between them. “By your father’s orders. No one is to come or to go. We face an enemy that is invisible, even to me. What use is a guardian such as that?”

“Malekith will return,” Thor spoke, sitting opposite him. “You know this.”

“I cannot overrule my King’s wishes,” Heimdall reminded him. “Even for you.”

“I’m not asking you too,” Thor explained. “The realms need their Allfather strong and unchallenged. Whether he is or not. But he is blinded Heimdall, by hatred and by grief. Grief for what happened here.“

“As are we all.”

“I see clearly enough,” the Prince remarked.

“The risks are too great.”

“Everything we do from here on is a risk,” Thor pointed out. “There is no other way.”

“What do you require of me?” The guardian asked, his keen eyes on his Prince.

Thor took a deep breath before continuing. “What I’m about to ask of you is treason of the highest order. Success will bring us exile. Failure shall mean our death.“

~ ~ ~

“Who are you?”

Y/N glared at the speaker but remained silent. The longer she could hold off, the better.

“I do not wish to treat one such as you in this manner.”

Though curious as to what he meant by that, Y/N forced herself to stay quiet. She would hold to the words she had spoken earlier.

“But you give me no choice.”

_I’m sure,_ she thought sarcastically to herself.

“The ones you called for. Would they come for you?”

“You killed one of them,” she hissed in response, unable to keep quiet any longer.

“Ah yes,” Malekith stood and began to pace the room. “But the other, what of him.”

“He is in prison,” Y/N whispered. “He won’t be going anywhere.” As she spoke those words, the awful reality came crashing down around her. In his current state, he would not be able to go very far at all.

~ ~ ~

“Malekith knew the Aether was here,” Thor spoke to his assembled friends. “He can sense it’s power. If we do nothing, he will come for it again, and this time lay waste to all of Asgard.” He paused and looked at each of his friends before continuing. “We must move Jane off-world.”

“The Bifrost has been shut down,” Sif reminded him, “and the Tesseract locked away in the Vault.”

“There are other paths off Asgard,” Heimdall spoke up. “Ways known only to a few.”

“One, actually,” Thor corrected with a small smile.

Volstagg, on the other hand, knew exactly who Thor referred to. “No.”

~ ~ ~

The sound of heavy footstep signaled his brother’s arrival.

“Thor. After all this time, now you come to visit me,” he sneered, “why? Have you come to gloat? To mock-”

“Loki. Enough.” Thor cut him off gently but firmly, “no more illusions.”

A flash of green soon transformed the cell and the appearance of the younger Prince. Gone was the refinement and control.

Loki looked up from where he had collapsed to the ground, his green eyes filled with unshed tears. The emotions he had been hiding were now exposed for all to see. His heart and mind laid bare. “Did you see her?”

Thor contemplated asking who he meant, but he himself knew exactly. “I did not come here to discuss her. Instead I offer you the chance to bring her back, to fight for her.”

His interested piqued, Loki leaned forward slightly, “go on.”

“I know you seek vengeance as much as I do,” Thor continued, “you help me escape Asgard, and I will grant it to you. Vengeance, and afterward, this cell.”

A small laugh escaped him, “you must be truly desperate to come to me for help? What makes you think you can trust me?”

“I don’t,” Thor answered without hesitation. “But Y/N does.” He paused, noticing just how much of an impact just her name had on him. “You should know,” he continued in a somber tone, “that when we fought each other in the past, I did so with the glimmer of hope that my brother was still in there somewhere. That hope no longer exists to protect you. You betray me and I will kill you.”

Unable to pass up the chance, however small at seeing her again, he smiled. “When do we start?” _I’m coming Y/N. I’m coming._

 

 


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I will never ask you to fight for me. I have neither the insecurity or the arrogance to believe that wars must be won and lost to earn or keep my love - know that I am yours for all the love I have, for however long it lasts. ~ Beau Taplin (Pacifist)

Now that she thought back on it, Y/N found it hard to recall a time before all this. All the chaos and near-death experiences. She found it hard to remember a time when he wasn’t part of her life. Either in her thoughts or on the periphery of her awareness.

Up until she had met him, she believed, like the rest of the world, that he was a figment of someone’s imagination. Part of a story and nothing more. True, she had seen people’s interpretations of him and sometimes found herself wanting to will him into reality. Before she knew him, she admired him. Before she saw him, she was fascinated by him. From the first word that fell from his lips, she had fallen and fallen hard.

Everything that had happened and everything that she had done up until this point, she regretted none of it. There wasn’t a word that she would take back or an action that she would undo.

~ ~ ~ 

“This is so unlike you brother,” Loki remarked as they turned the corner, “so clandestine. Are you sure you wouldn’t just rather punch your way out?” He added with a smirk and glanced at his older brother.

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Thor looked straight ahead, knowing full what Loki was trying to do. “If you keep speaking, I just might.”

“Fine. As you wish. I’m not even here.” In a small green flash his appearance altered to represent that of a guard. “Is this better?”

“It is better company at least,” Thor muttered, his eyes sweeping over the thankfully empty hall.

“Still,” Loki said thoughtfully and eyed his brother, “we could be less conspicuous.” With a wave of his hand, Thor was changed to look like Lady Sif. “Mmm, brother, you look ravishing.”

“It will hurt no less when I kill you in this form.”

“Very well,” Loki tapped his chin in mock thought. “Perhaps you would prefer one of your new companions, given that you seem to like them so much.”

In the blink of an eye, Thor was walking alongside the spitting image of Steve Rogers, complete with his shield and outfit. “Oh, this is much better. The costume’s a bit much. So tight. But the confidence..” He lifted his chin in a mock impression of the patriotic Captain. “I can feel the righteousness surging.” Turning to face his otherwise preoccupied brother, he continued, “hey wanna have a rousing discussion about truth? Honour? Patriotism? God bless Amer-”

Thor, having caught sight of guards headed their way, clapped a hand over his brother’s mouth and pushed him behind a nearby pillar.

Switching back to his usual self, he sent his brother a questioning look. “What?”

In answer, Thor nodded to the guards that were passing them by.

“You could at least furnish me with a weapon,” Loki spoke up, his green eyes sparkling with untold mischief. “My dagger...something!”

Nodding slightly, Thor retrieved a dagger-like object and gave it to his brother.

“At last, a little common....sense,” Loki would recognise that dagger anywhere. The last time he’d seen it, she was holding it, her right hand clutching it tight.

“Mother found it,” Thor explained, seeing his brother’s reaction. “Y/N must have dropped when she was taken. Mother gave it to her.”

Loki simply nodded and blinked to keep the sudden tears at bay. “Yes, well.” Lifting his chin, he looked his brother in the eye, “if you are in such a hurry, we should get going.”

“Right,” Thor nodded in agreement, “let’s go.”

~ ~ ~

_Which is worse,_ Y/N thought to herself, _emotional pain or physical pain?_ She was more than familiar with both. While she regretted little of what had happened over the past two years, she knew that her eyes had been opened. Opened to a way of life that she was far from used to. A way of life that she never would have imagined living.

Her world had been turned upside down and inside out. She knew that, in the process of following her heart, she had all but lost her family. Her own father was hunting her and her beloved cousin was murdered right before her eyes.

Everytime she closed her eyes, that horrid scene played in front of her. Taunting and teasing her. Playing with what shreds of sanity she still had left. Her imagination and tortured mind played cruel tricks on her and they only got worse the longer she was stuck where she was.

Her mind showed her things that she wanted but could never happen.

Y/N was brought back to the present when she heard the telltale sounds of a door opening. Refusing to put in even the barest amount of effort for her ‘visitor’, she stayed the way she was. Hunched against the cold metal wall, with her arms wrapped around herself. She kept her eyes trained on her folded arms. She could not bare to look at his face.

He said nothing at first and the longer the silence stretched, the more Y/N came to realise that, to be at the centre of this creature’s attention was in fact not a good place to be. His very gaze seemed to prevent her from moving.

“It seems,” Malekith at last broke the silence. “That the Aether is no longer on Asgard.”

“How would you know such a thing?” Her voice was hoarse from shouting.

He did not answer right away. He moved to kneel in front of her. “It is coming home.”

Before she had a chance to respond, Malekith nodded to someone by the door and the next thing she knew, she was being pulled to her feet.

~ ~ ~

Svartalfheim. Home of the Dark Elves. Known more commonly as The Dark World. Little natural light shone on the desolate world.

As he steered the craft through seeming endless wreckage, Loki found himself looking at Jane. The mortal his brother had fallen in love, and through who’s veins flowed a power he would give anything to possess. “What I would do with the power that flows through those veins,” he said a little wistfully.

“It would consume you,” Thor replied, his own eyes trained on the ruined landscape around them.

“She’s holding up alright. For now.”

Turning his attention to Jane, Thor sighed heavily. “She’s strong in ways you would never even know.”

“Say goodbye,” the words sounded almost like a plea.

Thor shook his head. “Not this day.”

“This day, the next, a hundred years, it’s nothing.” Loki faltered a little, his mind’s eye flashing back to when he thought he had lost Y/N. “You’ll never be ready.” The pain he had felt then, resurfaced. “The only woman who’s love you prized will be snatched from you.”

“Will that satisfy you?”

Standing, Loki adjusted his hold on the craft’s tiller, “satisfaction is not in my nature.” His eyes sparkled dangerously.

“Surrender is not in mine,” Thor shot back. He knew there was truth in his brother’s words, but he was determined to hold on for as long as possible.

An eternity of silence passed between the brothers, where both seemed to realise the truth of what the other said.

“I wish I could trust you,” Thor broke the quiet and smiled sadly down at his younger brother.

Loki returned the expression, his eyes sad. “Trust my rage.”

~ ~ ~

Everything seemed dark to her. Where there was light, it was dim and unnatural. Y/N stumbled through the ship, her legs had cramped up from being bent for hours. Around her elves spoke in a language that she did not understand.

When they finally reached the entrance of the ship, Y/N prepared herself for gusts of fresh air. She was to be sorely disappointed. No sun greeted her and fresh breeze welcomed her.

What she saw was unlike anything she had ever seen before. Before her lay a wasteland, the distinct shapes of wreckage could be made out in the distance.

Squinting even against the dim sunlight that had managed to squeeze it’s way through the ever present clouds, Y/N scanned her surroundings. “What is this place?”

“Svartalfheim,” Malekith explained. “The home of our kind.”

~ ~ ~

Jane stayed close to Thor as they neared where Malekith had landed his ship.

Crouching down, the trio examined what lay before them. More importantly, who. From where they hid, they could easily make out who was exiting the ship.

When a head of Y/F/C hair came into view, Loki felt himself falter ever-so-slightly. She was down there, just a short distance away. Just the sight of her made him question whether or not his plan would work. Or if he would be able to follow it through.

Loki watched her closely. She stood a short distance behind Malekith and she seemed to be looking around. A part of him prayed she would not see him, yet another part willed her to look at him.

~ ~ ~

Her curious eyes continued to sweep her surroundings. _How in the universe could anyone call this home?_ She wondered to herself. Her nose wrinkled in disgust as the stench of decay was swept through the air.

Having looked left and right and seeing nothing of any interest, Y/N directed her gaze forward and up.

Even from the distance that separated them, she could clearly see who it was. She froze when his eyes locked with hers. She wanted to call out to him, so desperately did she want that. But when her eyes moved to the crouched figures beside him, she silenced herself.

Her heart hammered in her chest at the very thought of him being so close.

~ ~ ~

For a moment, his surroundings vanished and only she existed.

“Alright,” Thor spoke beside him, addressing Jane and shaking his brother from his stunned state. “Are you ready.”

“I am,” Loki spoke up, his voice thankfully steady.

“You know this plan of yours is going to get us killed,” Loki remarked to his brother as they prepared themselves.

“Yes, possibly,” Thor replied with a grin.

“You still don’t trust me, brother?”

Thor inclined his head and raised his eyebrows. “Would you?”

A split second passed before Loki replied with a quiet, “no I wouldn’t.” Lashing out with his right arm, he embedded Y/N’s dagger in his brother’s side.

~ ~ ~

That was it for her. Throwing her self control to the four winds, Y/N launched herself forward. “LOKI, NO!” She watched in increasing horror as Thor tumbled down the short slope. She gasped audibly as he suffered another blow from his brother.

_Oh my love,_ Y/N thought desperately, _what are you doing?_

Her e/c eyes widened as Thor reached for his hammer but never caught it. Shock paralysed her as she watch Loki severe his brother’s arm. _What in all the realms was going on here?_

With the Kursed holding her back, all she could do was watch. It was only then that she realised that Jane was there, crouched beside Thor.

“Jane?”

Before she could respond, Loki hauled her to her feet and addressed Malekith. “I am Loki of Jotunheim, and I bring you a gift.” With those words he threw Jane down in front of them.

Y/N’s eyes flew between Malekith and Loki. Her heart rate had steadily increased and her breathing was quick and shallow. She noticed how he seemed to be avoiding her eyes.

“I ask only one thing in return,” Loki continued, he could not bring himself to look at her. Her earlier protest had almost shattered his resolve. “A good seat from which to watch Asgard burn.”

Y/N stared in open shock. “Loki?” Her voice came out as a strangled whisper, begging him to look at her.

Knowing how this must appear to her, he braved one look. The eyes that stared back at him were full of questions. He prayed for all he was worth that the message in his eyes would be clearly conveyed.

Beside her, the Kursed spoke with Malekith in a language she did not understand, but whatever he said, must have pleased the elf.

As Malekith approached the injured Prince, Y/N held her breath. Her eyes widened however, as she watched him lift Jane into the air. “Look at me,” the elf commanded.

Y/N watched in horrified fascination as Malekith began to draw the Aether out of Jane. Her e/c eyes followed it’s flowing movements, it seemed so hypnotising. This was shattered as Thor called to his brother. “LOKI. NOW!”

Confused, Y/N directed her gaze to him and covered her mouth in surprise as, with a flash of green light, Thor’s arm was restored. The hammer flew into his grasp and was immediately directed at the sky where lighting crackled.

Every thing seemed to happen in slow motion. Y/N heard her name being called and felt herself being pulled away from her captors. The next thing she knew, she was on the ground as someone shielded her from the exploding shards of the Aether.

“Y/N?”

Looking up, she realised it was Loki who had shielded her. The one who had called her name and protected her. She could do nothing but stare, her eyes drinking in every detail and committing it to memory. Reaching up with a hesitant hand, she gently touched his cheek and sighed when she felt him lean into her hand. “Loki?”

The Prince nodded and smiled down at her. His lips gently caressed her palm. “My Love.“

Not being able to restrain herself any further, she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him close. She felt the tears come and did not bother to stop them. Tears of joy cascaded down her cheeks. “I’ve found you, I’ve finally found you.” Her words were muffled as she buried her face in his shoulder.

How often had he longed for this moment. To hold her in his arms again. Closing his eyes, he savoured the moment and inhaled her sweet scent. Her words were muffled against the leather of his armour, but he understood them all the same. He never wanted to let her go.

“Well, well, Y/N is it?” Malekith spoke from behind them.

Pulling apart, the pair turned to face him. Loki immediately pushed Y/N behind him, he could see the Aether in his eyes. “What do you want with her?”

“Y/N,” the Dark Elf repeated, as though to himself. “A very Elvin name, wouldn’t you say?”

Y/N looked up at Loki, clearly confused. “What’s going on?”

The Prince shook his head, “I actually have no idea.”

“Now I know why you felt so familiar,” Malekith continued, oblivious to his audience’s confusion. “The last time I saw you,” he murmured, “was when you were a mere few hours old.”

“What are you saying?” Y/N clutched Loki’s hand and stepped forward to face the elf. “You don’t even know who I am.”

“Don’t I?” Malekith challenged, “are you telling me that a father is unable to recognise his own daughter?”


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I want somebody with a sharp intellect and a heart from hell. Somebody with eyes like star fire and a mouth with a kiss like a bottomless well. But mostly I just want somebody who knows how to love me when I do not know how to love myself. ~ Beau Taplin (Priorities)

“How dare you say such a thing?!” Loki hissed venomously, his eyes narrowed into slits.

Y/N had been struck silent. Her eyes had glazed over as she tried to process what Malekith had told her. _He had to be lying, he had to be. There was no way she could be related to a monster such as he!_

“You- no- no-” Y/N shook her head, her words tumbled from her lips. Stepping back, she turned and ran, her hand slipping from Loki’s. Her trembling legs carried her over the black sand until she collapsed, her still-recovering lungs were burning.

Without hesitation, Loki followed her and skidded to a halt beside her and fell to his knees. “Y/N?”

She looked up at the sound of her name. It was evident that she had been crying, tear tracks marked her cheeks. “Please tell me it isn’t true,” she begged him, her hands reaching out and clutching his wrists. “Please.”

How badly he wanted to comfort her, to pull her close and make her forget all the bad things that happened to her. For the first time, he found himself unable to lie. Gently uncurling her hands from where they were tightly wound around his wrists, he cupped her face and tenderly wiped the tears from beneath her eyes. “Queens don’t cry, remember?”

“But- but I’m no Queen,” her voice trembled as she looked at him with tear-filled eyes. “I’m just an ordinary girl.”

“My love,” he whispered, his words meant only for her. “You are far from ordinary.” Leaning forward, he gently kissed the tip of her nose. “You will always be a Queen to me. No matter what that creature says you are.”

Inclining her head, Y/N smiled through her tears. “But what if he speaks the truth? What if I really am-” her voice wobbled dangerously.

“Shhh,” he soothed, “even if what he says is true, you are nothing like him and owe no allegiance to him. Hmm?”

She nodded in answer, a small smile gracing her trembling lips. Movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. Turning her head, her eyes widened as she saw five Dark Elves creep up behind him.

Not saying a word, Y/N snatched up the dagger Loki had dropped and threw it at the nearest elf. The blade sliced through the air and embedded itself in the creature’s neck.

Her action did not go unnoticed by the Prince. Looking behind him, he slowly stood up and pulled Y/N behind him.

It was then that she was alerted to the sounds of another fight taking place. Her head whipped around and her eyes soon landed on Thor, who appeared to be locked in a fight with the Kursed. 

Even if she wanted to help him, she couldn’t. She and Loki were soon surrounded. Moving to stand beside him, she spoke in a quiet voice. “Give me a blade.”

“What makes you think I even have one?” He whispered back.

“Oh please,” she rolled her eyes and grinned. “When don’t you? Hmm.” Her expression hardened, “you had better give me one. We’re surrounded.”

Looking over his shoulder, the Prince saw she was right. More elves had gathered around them. Seeing no other option, he pulled out two blades and handed them to her.

So it began. Ten against two. For the most part, they were stuck in the middle, back-to-back. Neither had a chance to see how the other was faring.

Relying on the rudimentary skills she had developed and what Nikolas had taught her, Y/N dodged and deflected blows, while landing a number of her own. Her blades sliced into elven skin and were soon coated in dark blood.

Breathing heavily, she faced the last one. He proved to be more difficult to defeat than his companions. He was stronger than she was and he knew this. In seconds he had her pinned to the ground, his blade mere inches from her throat.

Loki, having dealt with his attackers, looked to see how Y/N was faring and was horrified to see her pinned to the dark sand, her last adversary’s blade close to piercing the skin of her throat.

Not thinking twice, he ran to her and drove a blade into the elf’s back. “Elven filth,” he muttered as the body hit the sand with a thud. Cleaning his blade, he reached down and pulled her close.

Y/N clung to him, three times now she had been close to death.

“Hey now,” he murmured into her hair, “I’ve got you.”

“Don’t ever let me go,” she replied, burying her face in his neck.

Leaning back to look at her, Loki smiled down at her and rested his forehead against hers. “You’re not going anywhere. My precious mortal.” With those words, he lifted her chin and pressed his lips to hers.

Winding her arms around his neck, Y/N pulled him closer and threaded her fingers through his dark hair, oblivious to her war torn surroundings. His hands traveled down her sides and pulled her closer than she thought possible.

Their surroundings melted away, they became oblivious to all else but the other.

Jane watched helplessly from the sidelines, her eyes following Thor as he stood his ground against the Kursed. The elf was stronger than him, that much was obvious. She watched in growing horror as he was thrown into a cliff face, his hammer batted away like a fly by the Kursed. “THOR!” His name tore from her in a blind panic.

It was Jane’s scream that broke them apart. Both of them turned and Y/N gasped, her eyes flying to Loki, judging his reaction.

“Wait here,” he told her and kissed her forehead before running to his brother.

Without his hammer, Thor believed it to be the end. The Kursed stood over him with a rock bigger than he.

“Get away from my brother,” came a familiar voice from behind him.

The fight that ensued between Loki and the Kursed was a brutal one. The elf had his height and brute strength to his advantage, while the Prince had his agility and skill with the blade.

Y/N, unable to follow any command, even if her life depended on it, ran from her position, and skidded to a halt beside Jane. Her e/c eyes locked on the fight, her heart rate increasing as the seconds passed. She knew Loki to be a excellent fighter, but the odds were not turning in his favour.

Y/N’s hands were clenched tight around the hilts of the blades Loki had given her. She dreaded to think what would happen should the Kursed gain the upper hand. She could not lose another person she cared about.

Her knuckles turned white as the fight continued and increased in brutality. Her breathing became shallow. She did not know how much longer she could endure this.

Loki had fought many adversaries in his long life. But none such as the one he faced now.

Y/N feared her teeth would break from how hard she clenched them. Throughout the fight, he had managed to use his agility and slight build to his advantage. An otherworldly shriek tore from her lips as she watched with horrified eyes as the Kursed pulled Loki closer.

That was it for her. Disregarding his wish for her to wait, she leapt forward, brandishing her two blades.

The grip on his throat was strong enough to bruise. Nevertheless, he refused to go down without a fight. Adjusting his hold on his dagger, he prepared to embed the blade in the creature when someone beat him to it.

“You horrid creature,” came Y/N’s hissed words. “Go to hell, where you belong with the rest of your kind.” The creature grunted as she pushed the blade deeper, “that is for my cousin. You murderous filth.”

Loki gasped for breath as the Kursed’s grip loosened and he landed with an inelegant thud and rubbed his neck.

Breathing heavily, Y/N looked from her blade to the fallen elf. The relief was so intense, her knees buckled and she collapsed to the ground beside the Prince.

“I suppose a thank you is in order,” came his hoarse statement and earned a smile from Y/N.

Crawling over the sand, she pulled him close. “That was much too close. Much too close.”

Loki could not help but agree. Standing up, he lifted her into his arms and pressed a desperate kiss to her lips.

Y/N responded in kind. “Don’t ever leave me,” she gasped between kisses. “Ever.”

“I will never leave you,” he responded breathlessly. “So long as I have breath in my lungs and power in my hands to decide my own fate.”

“Oh how I love you,” she murmured, loud enough for him to hear. Before he could respond, she leaned forward and kissed him for all she was worth. Her heart leapt when she felt him smile against her lips.

“I never thought I would love as I love you,” he replied, pulling away to look in her eyes.

Y/N made to reply when Thor spoke up, shattering the moment. “Alright you lovebirds. Time to depart.”

Reluctantly setting her down, Loki wrapped an arm around her shoulders and smiled when she snuggled into his side.

“Malekith has departed with the Aether,” Thor informed their small group, Jane at his side.

‘Do we know where he is headed?” Y/N asked.

“Earth,” came Jane’s immediate reply.

Y/N felt all the blood drain from her face. “That doesn’t sound like good news.”

“It isn’t,” Jane confirmed her fears. “But we must be there before he is, in order to stop him.”

Y/N didn’t like the sound of that. She dreaded the thought of returning. She knew that, as soon as she set foot in that world, she would be painting a target on her back.

“Y/N, angel. Are you alright? You look a little pale and you’ve gone all quiet.”

Y/N smiled grimly and met his emerald gaze. “These past two years, well-” she broke off and looked at her hands. “I did things that landed me on the wrong side of authority.”

Loki and Thor both stared at her in shock.

“What exactly did you do?” Loki broke the silence and Thor nodded in agreement, he was as curious as his brother.

“I uh, I stole some very important documents.” She refused to look at either of them. “Documents that were highly classified. My father and the rest of the Avengers were sent to find me. They chased me across Europe for the better part of two years.”

“Why did you do this?” Loki asked her. “Why did you steal that information?”

Taking a deep breath, Y/N looked up and smiled warmly. “I made a promise didn’t I? I looked for everything that might lead me to you.”

“You-” he stared at her, not quite sure what to say. Before him stood a woman, who had given up everything for him. Her life. Her family. Her freedom. Her home. No one had ever sacrificed that much for him before.

~ ~ ~

“Sir! Sir!” A young spectacled man rounded the corner and skidded to a halt behind the Director.

“What is it?” Fury asked without turning around.

“We’ve found her.”

“Found who?” Curious, he turned to face the young man. “Who did you find?”

“Y/N Stark, Sir. We’ve finally found her.”

Fury narrowed his eye at the young man. “Are you sure it’s her? 100% positive?”

The young man swallowed hard and nodded. “Absolutely Sir. Here,” he held out a folder, “images from surveillance footage. We have a 100% match of ID, it’s her, Sir.”

Nodding in thanks, Fury took the folder and dismissed the young man. He waited until he had walked into his office and closed the door before opening the file.

The photos before him had captured not just her image. She wasn’t alone. She had brought company.

Closing the file, he left his office and told the nearest guard to summon the Avengers. It was finally show time.

By the time he entered the meeting room, Natasha and Clint were already there.

“They should be here any minute,” Clint informed the Director, who nodded in thanks. Sure enough, Steve, Bruce and Tony filed into the room and took their respective seats.

Tony was strangely quiet, but then again, he hadn’t spoke much since Y/N had left.

“Why are we here Fury?” Steve asked, voicing everyone’s question.

“Because of these,” with those words, Fury lay the photos on the table one at a time.

A brief moment of silence passed as the team looked over the images.

“Is that who I think it is?” Bruce asked, staring at one photo in particular.

Clint nodded, having had a closer look. His lips curled. “It’s him alright. That bastard’s back.”

This was enough to snag Tony’s attention. Reaching out, he took the photo Bruce asked about. He almost dropped it. Y/N. There she was, as clear as day. Looking as alive as Natasha who sat across from him. Nor was she alone. She was with three others. The scientist Jane Foster. Thor and beside her, with his arm curled protectively around her shoulders, was Loki.

 


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last night I had a dream that felt like a memory. A glimpse of what could have been. Crossed signals from another life. Where instead of all of this, I had you. And life was exquisitely simple. And we were desperately happy. ~ Lang Leav (I Had You)

London. The last time she had been there, she had narrowly avoided being cornered by SHIELD Agent Natasha Romanoff. It was safe to say that her memories of that city were not pleasant.

Y/N knew that it would be only a matter of time before the authorities would be alerted to their presence. London was a city of cameras and there was no doubt that at least ten of them had picked up on their rather unexpected arrival.

Casting glances over her shoulder, Y/N expected to hear sirens and the screeching tires of police cars. Her senses were on high alert and every little noise seemed to put her on edge.

Even disguised in Midgardian attire, Y/N knew that Loki would be recognised sooner or later. Thor and Jane, however still wore the clothing of the Aesir. Y/N had opted out of wearing the bloodstained gown she had worn when Malekith had taken her.

“Where exactly are we going?” She spoke up, voicing her thoughts. Her eyes were constantly looking for cameras, being out in public was unsettling her. The last time she had visited this city, she had been on the run and hardly paid any attention to her surroundings.

“Darcy, my intern, has an apartment nearby.” Jane explained.

“Does she know we’re coming?”

Jane gave a silent nod before focusing once again on the directions to their destination.

“You seem a little on edge, angel,” Loki remarked from beside her.

Y/N let out a shuddering breath and nodded. “Sooner or later my dad’s gonna find out that I’m back. The sooner we get to where ever we’re meant to be going, the better. And goodness-knows what’s going to happen once they find out you’re here.”

“Ah, My Love,” he murmured and kissed the top of her head. “There is no need for you to worry so. I can handle whatever they may throw my way.”

Y/N sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder. “That is not what has me worried. My dad’s gonna flip out and after everything, that’s the last thing I need right now.”

“Understandably so,” Loki agreed and pulled her a little closer as they continued to walk behind Thor and Jane.

~ ~ ~

“The last time we had word she was in London,” Natasha addressed the Director, “we went after her and lost her. What makes you so sure that it’s not gonna happen again?”

“Did you not see the photos Nat?” Clint piped up from beside her. “She’s not exactly alone this time.”

“The real question,” Tony spoke up, “why are we still here discussing it when we should be on our way to London right now.”

The room went quiet before Steve stood up. “Tony’s right. We don’t know why she’s back or why she’s there. We need to go before we lose this opportunity to bring them both in.”

“I would appreciate it if you did not speak about my daughter in such terms, Captain.”

“I’m sorry Tony, but she’s a fugitive and a thief and a dangerous one at that.”

“I don’t care,” Tony stood and faced him. “Despite everything, she is still my daughter and you will speak of her as such, or not at all. Have I made myself clear?”

Steve took on a defensive stance, “are you giving me orders now?”

“Gentlemen, please,” Fury stepped in before Tony could respond.

A tense atmosphere permeated the room as Fury explained their strategy. “The English know we’re coming, so lets not be there any longer than we need to be. We get them both into custody and leave. Simple. I do not want any deviations from the plan. The President has been on my back about this matter, lets give him results people.”

~ ~ ~ 

“Brother,” Thor turned to Loki just as they arrived at Darcy’s apartment. “I believe it would be best if you did not accompany me inside. Given your history with one of the room’s occupants.”

Loki raised an eyebrow in question. “And who would that be?”

“I believe you remember Dr. Eric Selvig?”

“How could I forget,” the younger Prince smirked and nodded. “You wish to avoid conflict then?”

Thor nodded, “that exactly.”

“I will not fight you on this, brother,” Loki held up both hands in mock surrender. “I do not wish to be in this world any longer than I need to be.”

“If you don’t mind,” Y/N piped up, “I’ll wait with him.”

“Dr. Selvig has no quarrel with you,” Thor pointed out.

“I know,” Y/N shrugged her shoulders. “But, if he stays outside, then I will too.” She lifted her chin and smiled at the brothers.

Chuckling, Thor shook his head. “Very well,” he shot his brother a look before following Jane into the apartment.

“Sooo,” Y/N turned her attention to Loki and cocked her head to the side, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. “It looks as though we have a bit of time to ourselves.”

“Yes,” he replied, with a smile of his own. “It appears we do,” leaning down, he touched his lips to hers in a gentle kiss.

Breaking the kiss a few moments later, he rested his forehead against hers. “There is something I must ask of you,” he whispered.

Smiling, Y/N replied. “Anything.”

“Come with me.”

Blinking, Y/N looked up at him. “Where are we going?”

“It is a surprise.”

She couldn’t help but smile and took his hand. “Lead the way.” She expected him to lead her back out of the building, but instead, in a flash of green, she stood in a place more beautiful than she could ever have imagined.

Loki watched her as she examined her surroundings. Everything seemed to fascinate her, from the leaves on the trees to the sparkling brook that bubbled nearby.

“Its so beautiful here,” she said breathlessly, her e/c eyes taking in as much as they could. “Where are we?”

“Alfheim. Home of the Light Elves.”

Y/N shook her head in amazement. “Everything’s so beautiful.”

“They are a very elegant race,” Loki explained with a smile. “You remind me of them.”

Those words stopped her examination. Y/N stared at him. “Re- really? Even after-”

“Yes,” he gently cut her off and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. “It is said that they are a race of unsurpassed beauty and grace. But you,” he tenderly traced the outline of her cheek. “You are more beautiful than any Light Elf I have ever encountered.”

“Even though I could quite possibly be of the exact opposite race?”

The Prince nodded. “Yes.”

Y/N didn’t know what to say. Never before had someone paid her such a compliment. She had never thought of herself as much of a looker or a stunning beauty. Taking a few steps back, she knelt by the brook and trailed her fingers in the clear water.

“If only you could see yourself through my eyes.” Loki was saying, shaking her from her thoughts. “Only then would you see yourself as I do.”

“And how is that?” She looked over her shoulder at him and smiled.

“As the one I love,” he stated simply. “As the only one I will ever love.”

Her eyes remained locked with his and for a moment, time seemed to freeze. For a moment they were the only two people in existence. “Oh, My Love,” she whispered and held out a hand to him.

The moment he took her hand, she pressed it to her lips and closed her eyes for a brief moment. Upon opening her eyes, she saw him kneeling beside her, watching her closely.

“Earlier, I said I wanted to ask something of you,” he said, his eyes traveling down to their joined hands.

Y/N nodded. “Yes,” she replied, her eyes sparkling in recollection. “You did.”

“Angel-” he began, his gaze moving back up to her face.

“Yes?” She prompted and smiled encouragingly.

Letting go of her hands for a brief moment, he produced a small green velvet pouch and opened it. Into his palm fell the most beautiful ring Y/N had ever seen. A golden band woven intricately around leaf-shaped emeralds.

“Loki?”

Meeting her stunned gaze, he laid the empty pouch on the grass and held the ring in his right hand. “As wretched as I am, stripped of every rank and title and condemned to live out my days in the dungeons, I will always love you.”

Y/N found herself unable to speak as she felt the sting of tears.

“I can offer you nought else but my heart,” he continued. “It is yours for all eternity. In this life and the next.” He took a deep breath, “Y/N Stark, will you take me for your husband?”

Y/N, having long since given up on trying to stop the tears, nodded eagerly. Throwing her arms around him, she looked up at the sky and smiled so wide her cheeks began to ache. “Yes,” she whispered, “yes I will.” Drawing back a little, she watched with teary vision as he slipped the ring onto her waiting ring finger.

Seeing her wear the ring seemed to complete something in the Prince. Lifting her hand to his lips, he gently kissed her knuckles before leaning in and kissing her lips. “I don’t deserve you,” he murmured against her mouth.

Y/N smiled, “nor I, you.”

~ ~ ~ 

“Jane!”  Darcy exclaimed as soon as her friend slash, boss, walked through the door. “You can’t just leave like that! The whole world is going crazy!” Her eyes swept over what her friend was wearing. “Did you go to a party?”

Disregarding her intern’s rapid fire questions, Jane turned to the other person in the room. “Erik?”

“Jane! How wonderful, you’ve been to Asgard,” Erik greeted her, the style of her gown being a telltale give away. He pulled her into a sudden hug, taking Jane completely by surprise.

“Oh, uh, where are your pants?” Her eyes went down then quickly back up again. Her head tilted in confusion.

“Oh, he, uh, says it helps him think,” Ian, who claimed to be Darcy’s intern, piped up.

“Okay, well,” Jane nodded, her mind already working, “I’m going to need everything you’ve got on this,” she spoke to Erik who nodded along and began to gather together various pieces of paper. “All the work you’ve been doing on gravimetric anomalies, everything.”

Having given Jane everything she needed, Erik noticed Thor for the first time since Jane walked through the door.

“Are you well, Erik?” Thor asked him, having been pulled into a hug by the other man.

Erik laughed and nodded before becoming serious. “Your brother’s not coming is he?”

Jane and Thor exchanged a look.

~ ~ ~

Y/N had never wanted to go back. In Alfheim she had been happy and content. Now as she waited with Loki in an empty passageway, she dreaded to think of what would happen should her father catch wind of her arrival.

Just think of her father made her think of what Malekith had told her. Was it possible that he was telling the truth? But how would that work? He was centuries older than her.

The sound of the door opening pulled her from her thoughts. Beside her, Loki shifted and gently squeezed her hand to get her attention.

Erik paled upon seeing the raven-haired Prince. He never thought he would ever see him again. His attention was then pulled away from him when he noticed a young woman standing next to him.

“Y/N Stark?”

She flinched inwardly. Hearing her full name in her world hadn’t been a good thing for quite some time now. Managing a nod, she let go of Loki’s hand and extended it to the Doctor. “That’s me. Its a pleasure finally meet you.”

Thor watched the exchange with mild amusement. As Y/N shook hands with the Doctor however, the late afternoon sun caught on the ring she was wearing.

~ ~ ~

The relative peace of London was shattered on his arrival. The monstrosity that was his ship had torn through this world’s atmosphere and destroyed any being or craft that stood in its way.

Malekith cared not for the people of Midgard. He now possessed the Aether, that was all that mattered to him.

His ship shattered their structures as it came to standstill. The moment the boarding ramp extended, he felt it. _She_ was here. His long-lost only child. The future of their kind. In time she would come to accept who and what she was. She would lead their people when he was gone. _Y/N_ , the name her mother had chosen mere moments before she had breathed her last. 

Followed closely by a handful of guards, Malekith disembarked and saw her. She was easy to pick out from the group of people that had gathered. Her distinct shade of hair was like a beacon. She stood beside the two Aesir Princes, one on each side.

“Y/N,” he acknowledged, nodding in her direction. “It has been a while.”

“Not long enough,” she hissed back at him.

“Come come now, daughter,” he shook his head and reached a hand toward her.

Y/N instantly drew back. “Don’t call me that,” she snarled, her e/c eyes icy. “I am not one of you.”

“Allow me to prove you wrong.” Quicker than lightning, he took hold of her left arm and let the illusion drop. The illusion that she had carried since she was a few hours old.

Y/N watched in increasing horror as her skin changed under his touch, she tried to pull away, but he was too strong. Her eyes flew to Loki, who too was staring wide eyed at her changing appearance.

“See for yourself,” Malekith seemed to gloat. All around them, it had gone silent, all those who had been watching had been shocked by her sudden change.

Producing a blade, he held it before her like a mirror.

Y/N shook her head in denial. This couldn’t be happening. The being that stared back at her, wasn’t her! It was some otherworldly creature who bore her eyes.

Finally managing to rip herself free, she turned and ran through the crowd that had gathered, Loki following close behind.

*

~ ~ ~

Things in London were far from peaceful when the Avengers arrived. In fact, chaotic would have been a better way to describe the situation. 

The streets had become near impossible to navigate. People were running in every direction, eager to save themselves from the destruction that was being wreaked in their city.

“It’s gonna be impossible to find them in all of this,” Clint shouted over the wind. “How do we even know if they’re still here anyways?”

“Trust me,” Tony replied, “with something like this going one right now, they’re gonna be here.”

~ ~ ~

Y/N ran until her burning lungs demanded air. Looking down at her hands, she was relieved to find that they had returned to their usual shade. Covering her face with her hands, she let out the tears she had been holding back. She didn’t stop even she felt a pair of strong, familiar arms encircle her.

“Shhh,” he soothed, holding her close. “Shhh.”

“It can’t be real,” she choked out, “it just can’t be. I can’t be what he is.”

“You aren’t,” Loki assured her in a gentle, yet firm voice. “You are so much more than he is.”

Y/N found herself smiling despite everything. Tilting her head back, she looked up at him. “Are you sure about that?”

The Prince nodded and kissed her forehead. “Indeed I am, and I have the rest of eternity to prove it to you.”

Y/N hummed happily in response and snuggled in deeper.

“We should get back, shouldn’t we?” She asked him, “Thor is going to need all the help he can get.”

“I suppose you are right,” he responded after a short while, “my hero brother will be needing us.”

Y/N rolled her eyes and laughed. “You two, honestly.” Tugging on his hand, she led him back into the chaos that was the London streets.

They had not even made it past two blocks when Loki pulled her down an alleyway, away from the main crowds.

“What’s going on?” Y/N was confused, “Loki?”

“Your father is here,” he hissed, “and that group of his.”

Y/N swore under her breath and bit her lip. “Do you think they saw us?”

“I do not know,” he admitted reluctantly.

“This is the last thing we needed,” she groaned, running her free hand through her hair.

“I have an idea.”

“You do?” She was curious and desperate.

“Yes,” he replied and turned to face her. “But you’re not going to like it.”

“I’m not liking where this is going,” Y/N muttered, her eyes darting over her shoulder before looking back at him.

“I fear it is our only option,” he didn’t sound too pleased either. “We have to split up.”

“Are you crazy?” She hissed, her eyes wide with disbelief. “Do not think for one second that I’ll be leaving you alone to face them by yourself.”

“That is not what I am suggesting,” Loki explained, “yes, we will be on our own, but that way, the team will be divided and therefore weaker.”

“I won’t leave you.” Y/N insisted. “After everything I have gone through to finally find you-” a shuddering breath cut her off. “I can’t lose you again.”

“You won’t lose me,” he reassured her and cupped her face gently. “I have seen you fight, you will do just fine.”

“Loki, I-” Y/N shook her head and felt tears trace their way down her cheeks. “Please don’t make me do this.”

“Hush, my angel. Hush,” he pulled her in close and kissed the top of her head. “This will be over soon.”

“Do you promise?” She sounded like a scared child.

The raven-haired Prince nodded. “I promise that we will see each other again. Be it in this life or the next.”

“Don’t say that! Please.”

“Come now, my love,” he pulled away to look down at her. “The sooner we do this, the sooner it’ll all be over. And we can spend the rest of our loves together.”

Y/N smiled tearfully at the thought and nodded. “Alright then, I may not like it, but, like you say, it is our only option.”

“I will create the illusion that one of us is with the other, therefore they will think they are chasing both of us at the same time.”

Y/N nodded and agreed wordlessly.

~ ~ ~

Tony had insisted on acting alone. The others had been split into teams. Many times he had imagined their reunion, but none of the imagined scenarios had included him chasing her through the streets of London.

She had always been a fast runner despite the fact that she hated any outdoor activity. It had become easier to spot and follow her as they neared the industrial part of the city. Her Y/F/C hair seemed to lead him like a tracking beacon.

He had received word from Nat that they were in pursuit of their other target. At first, the teams had each believed that they were chasing the pair. The illusion was revealed when Tony saw Y/N’s identical copy run by him as he was chasing another.

~ ~ ~

Having managed to stall Malekith long enough, Jane was now confident in the device that Erik had built. If it worked, then Malekith would be rendered helpless and Thor would be able to defeat him.

The Convergence was upon them, as was their short window. Above them, the nine realms fell into alignment.

~ ~ ~

Y/N had no idea where she was going. She only hoped that Loki had been successful in managing to divide the team.

For quite some time now, she had come to realise that it was only her father that was in hot pursuit. She supposed she should have been relieved.

It soon came to her attention that they had entered into the industrial part of London. All around her were various factories and refineries, both working and abandoned.

The one closest to her, an old oil refinery, seemed like the best option. Skidding on the asphalt road, she ran into the factory grounds and bolted up the nearest flight of stairs.

The sounds of her father following soon reached her ears and she looked around wildly for a place to hide or an alternative escape route. Her desperate eyes soon locked onto the drainage pipes, a large one in particular. Hearing her father get closer, she saw no other option and climbed in.

The inside of the pipe was still a little slippery with old oil. Y/N found it hard to find something to hold onto. Her hands eventually found a rill and gripped onto that.

Taking this chance to catch her breath, Y/N wondered how close her father was. Not once had he called out to her, perhaps he was relying on the fact that he knew it was really her and not an illusion he was chasing.

She should have known that it wouldn’t last long. Soon her fingers began to slip, no matter how hard she tried to regain grip. She knew where the pipe lead and she had no intention of being soaked in river water. While she struggled to hold on with her hands, her booted feet desperately tried to find some footing. But to no avail.

Soon she was falling. The residue of the old oil making it a smooth ride, as it were. Y/N knew that she should have called out to him, to her father, but before she could, a blinding pain shot through her head before her vision went dark.

She would never know what the water felt like when her body hit it. The late afternoon sun shone through the water and caused the emeralds on her ring to sparkle.

 


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One day I looked at you, and it suddenly occurred to me how beautiful your smile was. I heard music in your laughter; I saw poetry in your words. You asked me why I had that look on my face, as though a shadow had fallen across its sun-drenched landscape, heavy with premonition, dark with revelation. The second I tried to tell myself I wasn’t in love was the moment I realised I was. ~ Lang Leav (Moment of Truth)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry...

He had to squint against the sudden onslaught of light as soon as he opened his eyes. Lifting a hand to shield his eyes, he felt a faint stabbing pain in his side.

“You’re awake. Oh thank the Fates.” A young woman approached him with a relieved smile. “You’ve been asleep for so long, we feared that you may never wake up.”

“Whe- where am I?” His voice was hoarse from disuse.

“You are in the Healing Rooms in the Aesir Royal Palace,” the young woman explained. “Do you remember anything before your injury?”

He narrowed his eyes in thought before nodding. “I was down in the dungeons. A fight had broken out and they needed all the help they could get. I remember hearing my cousin, Y/N, call me. I remember,” he squeezed his eyes shut in an effort to remember more accurately. “I remember hearing her scream,” his eyes opened and looked at the young woman. “Where is she? What happened to her after I lost consciousness? Is she safe?”

The young healer stepped back to reveal the Queen. Bobbing a curtsy, the healer left to take care of her other charges.

“It is indeed a relief to see you awake again,” Frigga smiled down at him. “Y/N will be most relieved when she learns of your survival.”

“Do you know where she is?”

“She will return before long,” she reassured him. “Thor has returned to Midgard and will bring her with him.”

“Midgard? What was she doing there?” He knew better than anyone the threat she faced in that world.

“Everything will be explained to you upon their arrival. I promise.”

~ ~ ~

The coroner’s report said that she had died before she entered the water. A sizeable head injury further supported this.

Tony did not want to believe that this was his new reality. He had still been in London when her body was found. Many times he had spoken with her, hoping that she would wake up, spitting out water like a fountain.

The sight of her lying motionless on the cold metal examining table, was something Tony feared he would never forget. He had stayed at her side, even as the M.E began the autopsy. It was declared that, had she still been alive when she had fallen into the river, her lungs would have been too weak and she would have drowned.

He dreaded the thought of relaying the news to Pepper, but he knew that she should hear it from no one else.

Her body was, under Tony’s instruction and supervision, transported back to America, where she would receive a proper burial. He insisted on traveling with the body, not wanting to let her out of his sight. In his lap lay a small bag that the M.E had given him. In it lay one object, a ring. The only one Y/N had ever worn. She had never really been one for jewellery.

The team had accompanied Tony as far as the entrance to Stark Tower. They had all felt his grief, but none could imagine the pain. The loss of a child, a worse pain Tony could not imagine.

Pepper’s reaction had surprised him. She did not scream or throw objects around the room. She simply nodded stiffly, but Tony could see the pure, unadulterated agony in her eyes. The tight set of her jaw spoke of the emotions she was fighting to keep under control. But one word from him had her collapsed in his arms, her tears soaking through the material of his shirt, while his fell on her hair.

The funeral, they decided, would be a private one. A small ceremony, something that Y/N would have liked. The Avengers all came, to show their support to the grieving parents.

The only one who did not know of this was Thor. He had returned to Earth to bring her back, he had promised Loki that he would.

The Prince was confused to find everyone in black as he arrived at Stark Tower. He could not find her in London, so he believed she had returned here with her father.

Fury approached him, wearing a rather sombre expression.

“Director,” Thor greeted him, “what has happened? Where is Y/N?”

Fury didn’t say a word. Silently he led Thor into a room just a short distance away from the main entrance.

Rings of flowers decorated the room, all had a ribbon draped across them. In the centre of the room, raised on a dais, was an open coffin. Approaching the coffin, hair came into view that Thor wished he didn’t recognise. The Y/F/C strands had been arranged in a simple plait and had been draped over her shoulder. Thor did not want to believe what he was seeing. How was he to explain this to his brother?

His gaze traveled over her still form and froze when he saw a single ring on her finger. A simple golden band that was intricately woven around an arrangement of emeralds shaped to represent leaves. His breath caught in his throat. He knew exactly who had given her that and why. She wore no other adornment, not around her neck or in her hair.

“It is hard to believe is it not?” Came Tony’s quiet statement.

Turning around, Thor faced him and pulled the man into an embrace, his strong arms supporting the grieving father. “Stark, I-”

“You don’t need to say anything,” Tony nodded in her direction, pulling away from his team mate. “Her death wasn’t your fault.”

“How did she...?”

“They say,” Tony explained, his eyes trained on Y/N. “That she hit her head and fell into the river. They told me that she was dead by the time she came into contact with the water.”

“Stark, listen, I-” Thor did not know exactly what to say. He knew that words could not heal the wound that had been inflicted on his friend.

“She’s not coming back,” Tony murmured, half to himself. “And I know that all the wishing in the world will not change a damn thing.”

“There will be a funeral?”

Tony nodded, “yeah. There will be, but only a small one, considering her actions. I do not want the whole world there to see my little girl being put in the ground-” his voice faltered and he clenched his glass tight.

It pained Thor to see his friend in such agony. He turned his attention back to where Y/N lay still against the white of the coffin. The ring his brother had given her sparkled gently in the soft light. Her chest did not rise and fall, nor did her hands move as they were want to do in sleep.

~ ~ ~

Loki did not know what to expect. His return to Asgard had seen him escorted right back to the dungeons, no questions asked.

For days, he paced restlessly. No word came to him of his brother’s and Y/N’s arrival. He had been reluctant to leave Midgard without her, it had felt wrong. It was only after he had elicited a promise from Thor, that he had begrudgingly consented to return.

Worry ate away at him and a fear that she had not managed to get away. Visions of her capture plagued his every waking moment and until he knew for certain, until he saw her with his own eyes and spoken with her, his mind would afford him no rest.

Not even Frigga could calm him. Her soothing words had little effect. Even the books proved to be useless in their function to distract him. He tried telling himself over and over again that she was alright, that she had simply hidden to avoid discovery by the Avengers. But no matter how often he repeated this, he still did not believe it.

Something had happened. But what? He hated not knowing.

~ ~ ~

The first person that needed to know was Nikolas. He had a right to know, she was his cousin after all.

Thor prayed that the young man had survived. He knew what Nikolas had meant to her and she to him. He only hoped that he would be strong enough to relay the news. He did not even want to imagine his brother’s reaction.

_It was indeed cruel,_ he thought to himself as he made his way to the Healing Rooms. _To be reunited, only to be torn apart in the cruelest way possible._

Upon entering the Healing Rooms, he was greeted the relieved smile of the head Healer. This could only mean one thing.

“How does he fare? Will he survive?” He asked her.

She nodded and sighed as though a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. “Indeed he will. He woke just this morning. He has anxiously awaited your arrival and that of his cousin.”

At the mention of Y/N, the elder Prince swallowed hard and briefly closed his eyes before thanking the Healer.

Approaching the bed on which Nikolas lay, Thor took a series of deep breaths and tried to plan what he was about to say.

At the sight of him, Nikolas seemed to sit up a little straighter. “Is Y/N with you?” He asked eagerly.

Thor shook his head, not trusting his voice to be steady. Y/N’s lifeless form flashed before his eyes. Blinking, he looked down at the young man.

“Well, where is she then? Her Majesty told me that Y/N would be returning with you.”

“Aye,” Thor agreed and smiled grimly. “That she was.”

“What do you mean ‘she was?’ Where is she?”

“Listen, Nikolas, there is no easy way to tell you this but,” he paused and closed his eyes to stop the sudden tears that had pooled there. “She won’t be coming.”

Suspicious, Nikolas narrowed his eyes. “Why do I get the feeling that you’re hiding something from me?”

“She is gone. Nikolas. Your cousin is gone.”

“Gone?” He repeated, not daring to believe what his mind was telling him. He could not. “What do you mean gone?”

“She is no longer among the living,” Thor whispered.

“No,” Nikolas shook his head. “NO. You’re lying to me. You’re lying.” His breath came in quick pants and his eyes became liquid with the sudden tears.

“I am not my brother,” Thor reminded him gently. “I speak the truth, as painful as it may be.”

All of a sudden his world spun and everything felt unsteady. His vision blurred and his hands trembled. A choked sob escaped him as he struggled to accept what the Prince had told him.

It surprised Thor at how quickly Nikolas had managed to calm himself. The young man looked up at him, his blue eyes filled with the same grief that Y/N’s had been.

“Do- does he know?”

Thor shook his head. “No. He does not.”

“Are you going to tell him?” Nikolas asked, his voice soft.

“I don’t know how,” Thor admitted. “He almost lost her three times before. How will I tell him that he will never see her again?”

A grief-heavy silence hung between them before Nikolas moved to retrieve something from beneath the covers of the cot on which he lay. The object he pulled out was a stone. A stone of brilliant oranges and yellows, as though there was a sunset trapped inside.

“I will tell him,” his quiet but determined statement surprised Thor.

“You will? But you are not strong enough, you have only just woken.”

“That is why I will be needing your help.”

~ ~ ~

The quiet of the dungeons was interrupted by the sound of footsteps. Recognising the heavy footfalls of his brother, Loki set aside the book he had been trying to read.

Moving to stand by the cell’s barrier, his keen eyes soon found the pair. He tried not to be disappointed by the fact that it was not Y/N by his brother’s side. But what was her cousin doing here? Had he not been murdered only a few feet away from his cell?

“Hello, brother.” Loki nodded in acknowledgement of Thor’s presence.

There was something in his brother’s blue eyes that caught his attention. It was a sadness that he had seen only once before. In his brother’s eyes was a pain that could only come from one thing.

Looking to Nikolas, he saw the same emotions reflected in his eyes. Only more intense.

“And where is Y/N?” He asked them both, his voice deceptively calm. “Why does she not join us. You do remember what you promised me, do you not, brother?”

Thor nodded and met his brother’s emerald gaze. “Yes. I do.”

“Then where is she?” Loki demanded, his mind was headed in dangerous directions. “Why did she not return with you?”

“She’s gone. Your Highness.”

Loki stared at Nikolas as though he had spoken a foreign language. “What did you say?”

“She’s gone, brother.” Thor stepped forward. “I saw the body.”

“Liar,” Loki hissed at both of them. But even then, both Nikolas and Thor could see the cracks in his facade. His control was beginning to slip. “How dare you speak such filthy lies.”

“It is no lie, brother,” Thor spoke up, his tone gentle. “Would I lie to you about this?”

Loki simply stared at both of them before turning away, his fists clenched tight. “I cannot believe you. I cannot.”

“Y/N had managed to cheat death two times,” Nikolas spoke up, his voice slightly stronger. “I suppose Death could not allow her a third.”

“And why not?” Loki spun around, his eyes flitting between the two men. His heart hammered in his chest. “Hmm? Why not allow her one more time?” He blinked rapidly to prevent the tears from falling.

Thor hated it. He hated causing his brother pain. From where he stood, he could clearly see that Loki was slowly falling apart.

“Did she suffer?” He whispered, his eyes clearly displaying his shattered heart.

“No,” Thor shook his head. “They said it was quick.”

“Small mercies,” Loki murmured and ran a trembling hand through his hair.

“She was wearing it, brother. The ring you gave her.”

It was then that Thor watched his brother break completely. A small nod that was followed by a heart-wrenching cry of pain. It echoed around the dungeons and into the halls beyond.

It was only after complete silence had returned that Nikolas approached the cell with the stone held in both hands. “What would you give to see her again?”

“Don’t play games with me, mortal,” Loki hissed from his crumbled position on the cell floor. “Don’t you dare.”

“It is no game,” Nikolas held out the stone even further. “She used this to find you. I believe you know what it is?”

“The Stone of Transcendence,” the broken Prince whispered, his eyes locked onto the stone.

“Aye,” Nikolas nodded. “Y/N spent two years looking for it. She even stole it back from SHIELD after they had taken it from her. She then used it to come here.”

“What are you saying?”

“What I’m saying is,” Nikolas took a deep breath. “That if we were able to come here from our world by using this stone, then, if she is truly in the realm of the dead, there is no reason why you cannot use it to go there.”

It almost seemed too good to be true. What he wouldn’t give to see her again and hear her sweet voice call his name. What he wouldn’t give to hold her in his arms just one more time.

Seeing his brother’s silent answer, Thor went and quickly deactivated one of the cell’s barriers.

Nikolas passed the stone to the Prince without hesitation. The moment Loki held the stone in his hands, the barrier returned.

“When you see her, tell her I miss her,” it was no request, but Nikolas said it all the same.

~ ~ ~ 

The cell had melted away to be replaced by the cold bareness that was Helheim. Realm of the Dead. Ruled over by Hella, goddess of death.

Loki knew the tales of this realm as well as anyone. Never would he have imagined that one day he would travel there on purpose.

Looking around, he was surprised to find not a soul in sight. “Y/N?” Her name broke free of his lips in a desperate cry. “Y/N?” His voice seemed to echo off the nearby mountains. “Y/N? Angel-” he faltered and his eyes searched his surroundings. Collapsing, he uttered a cry so broken that it would cause a stone to weep.

“My love?” 

Looking up, he was greeted by the sight of her kneeling before him. Her beautiful e/c eyes filled with concern and love.

He could manage no coherent words. He simply stared at her, his mouth going through the motions of speaking, yet no sound came out.

“I’m so very sorry,” she whispered, resting a hand on his cheek. “I did not want to leave you.”

“Then come back with me.”

Y/N smiled sadly and shook her head. “You know I cannot.”

“No,” he shook his head, “I do not. I refuse to believe that after everything, this is what we are doomed to. You crossed worlds to find me-”

“As did you,” she reminded him. “You came here knowing how dangerous it would be.”

“We were supposed to spend the rest of our lives together,” he protested, “and how can we do that with you down here?”

Y/N smiled despite the tears. “We still will, My Love.”

“But how?”

“In another life,” Y/N explained, “where we will both be free and so utterly happy.” Her lips trembled as she tried to smile. “I love you so very very much. Always know and remember that. Now go and live. Live for me.”

Her words were last thing he heard before the unwelcoming barriers of the cell once again materialised.

“I will love you and no other.” He murmured in response, the stone held close to his heart.


	15. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you came to me with a face I have not seen, with a name I have never heard, I would still know you. Even if centuries separated us, I would still feel you. Somewhere between the sand and the stardust, through every collapse and creation, there is a pulse that echoes of you and I.   
> When we leave this world, we give up all our possessions and our memories. Love is the only thing we take with us. It is all we carry from one life to the next. ~ Lang Leav (Stardust)

The Elven delegation was set to arrive at noon. The palace had become a hive of activity as servants and palace staff hurried to add the finishing touches to the preparations.

It wasn’t often that the Light Elves left their home realm. Their arrival in Asgard had been anticipated for some time now. The rumours of an alliance with Alfheim had spread like wildfire.

The soft spring sun shone high in the sky as the realm waited for them. A soft breeze blew, scattering leaves and flower petals. People had gathered on the streets for a chance to catch a glimpse of them as they rode by.

No trumpet blast announced them. The soft fluttering of the Elven banners and the rhythmic tapping of horse hooves announced their presence. Their shimmering banners could be seen some way off and the people began to chatter excitedly amongst themselves.

Odin, along with Frigga awaited them at the entrance to the Citadel. They were flanked on either side by their sons, Thor and Loki. The latter of whom was being closely watched by a contingent of guards since his release.

The Light Elves were elegant beings, their flowing robes fluttering gently in the spring breeze. Their soft colours varying in shades.

The delegation was headed by a young female. She rode at the head of the procession, her long pale hair was arranged in a complicated series of plaits with flowers woven through.

Both Thor and Loki knew the tales of the Light Elves and each had visited Alfheim on many a occasion. They watched as the procession came to halt at the base of the steps that led into the palace. She dismounted first, managing to make such an action look elegant and graceful.

Loki watched her closely as she climbed the steps, followed by her guards. Her gown seemed to float around her as she moved, the fabric itself was of a colour that he had not seen since, since-. Shaking his head and taking a series of deep breaths, he watched her approach his father and curtsy low in greeting.

“Lady Sigyn,” Odin greeted her, “it is an honour to have you with us. It is not often that your kind is seen in our humble realm.”

She smiled and inclined her head, her eyes sparkling. “The honour is mine, Allfather. I am the one that should be honoured. My King sends his best wishes and deepest respects.”

The young woman, Sigyn then turned to Frigga and curtsied. “Your Majesty. It is an honour.”

Frigga smiled warmly, “you are most welcome Lady Sigyn.” Stepping back a little, she motioned for Thor to come forward. “My eldest, Prince Thor.”

Sigyn smiled and curtsied, “Your Highness. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is all mine,” Thor replied, raising her hand to his lips.

“And my second,” Frigga continued, gesturing to Loki, “Prince Loki.”

Sigyn moved to stand before him and greeted him in the same manner. “Your Highness. I’ve heard so much about you,” she smiled gently, her eyes searching his as they looked intently at her.

“Good things I trust,” he replied with a smile of his own and gently touched his lips to her knuckles.

“Naturally,” Sigyn cocked her head to the side, her eyes twinkling like twin stars.

“Shall we?” Odin interrupted them and gestured to the main entrance.

Nodding in thanks, Sigyn followed Frigga into the palace, followed by Odin and the two Princes.

~ ~ ~

“What was all that about?” Thor questioned his brother.

“What was all what about?”

“You know exactly.”

“Evidently not,” Loki shot back and adjusted his emerald green cloak.

“You and Lady Sigyn earlier today. I haven’t seen you smile like that since-”

Loki cut his brother off with a warning look. “Don’t. Don’t you dare.”

“But surely, brother,” Thor continued. “She wouldn’t have any problems with you finding someone.”

Loki had gone silent, just like whenever Y/N was mentioned. Even now, centuries later, the pain had refused to fade.

“Brother?”

“I don’t want to find anyone,” Loki snapped, his eyes becoming icy. “I cannot love another when she still holds my heart.”

~ ~ ~

The meeting between Asgard and Alfheim’s representative had been successful.

Sigyn could not keep the smile from her face as she reached across the short distance and shook the Allfather’s hand. The Elven King would be thrilled upon her return.

The news of the alliance spread around the palace and through the realm. The celebrations would surely last a good long while; an alliance with Alfheim could mean only good for the Aesier.

Strangely, the Princes had been absent and Sigyn felt a stab of disappointment.

Upon leaving the Throne Room, she made her way back to her chambers in the guest wing. Closing the door behind her, she collapsed on the bed and looked up at the ceiling.

The alliance may have been solidified, but her work was not yet done. Lifting her left hand, she examined the ring that sat there. It was the only one she wore and would ever wear. Running her thumb over the emeralds that sat among the gold lacing, she smiled, her eyes misting with tears.

~ ~ ~

As soon as the sun had set, the celebrations had begun. The Great Hall had been transformed; hundreds of candles lit up the vast chamber and elaborate floral displays decorated the tables.

The great double doors opened to welcome the Allfather and the Queen, followed closely by the two Princes. The crowd parted as they made their way to their table that sat on a slight dais.

Music and the chatter of the crowd filled the air. The scents of delicious food wafted through the air as palace staff brought them in from the kitchens.

 

Hearing the faint sounds of music, Sigyn hurried towards the Great Hall, cursing herself for being late to a ball that was held in her honour. What would her parents say, she shuddered to think.

Slowing down as the huge doors came into view, Sigyn smoothed her gown and adjusted her hair before nodding to the footman to open the doors.

The sight she was greeted with took her breath away. She had been to many balls in her home realm but, they never ceased to amaze her. Smiling and nodding politely, she wove her way through the crowd.

Her arrival was not as subtle as perhaps she would have wished. The colour of her gown stood out from the crowd and made it easy to spot her. Thor glanced at his brother and smirked when he noticed him watching her.

“Ask her to dance,” he suggested with a playful glint in his blue eyes.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Loki huffed, tearing his eyes away from her. She felt strangely familiar, as though he had met her before. The colour she wore was the same as before, though the style of gown was different.

“If you won’t,” Thor stood and grinned down at his brother, “then I will.” Before Loki could shoot a response his way, he had left the table.

“Lady Sigyn?”

The sound of her name startled her. Turning around, she was greeted with the elder Prince smiling at her.

“Your Highness,” she curtsied in greeting.

“May I have this dance?”

Smiling, Sigyn nodded and held out her left hand. The emeralds sparkling gently in the candlelight. “I would be honoured, Your Highness.”

Taking her offered hand, he raised it to his lips but froze. The ring that sat on her finger, he had seen it before, but on the hand of another woman.

“Is everything alright?”

Blinking, Thor recovered and placed a gentle kiss on her knuckles. “Your ring,” he observed as he led her to the dance floor. “It is very beautiful.”

“Thank you,” Sigyn replied, her voice soft. “It was a gift.”

The music soon surrounded them and she let him lead the way. Her gown billowed out around her.

“It suits you,” Thor murmured to her as they glided over the smooth marble floor. “The ring.”

Sigyn ducked her head and smiled. “Thank you, Your Highness.”

“Pardon my boldness,” the Prince continued. “But may I ask who gave it to you?”

“Someone very dear to me,” Sigyn replied and looked up, her soft eyes meeting his, begging him to see through the mask she wore.

The way she spoke. The way she smiled. The way her eyes looked at him now, it all seemed so familiar.

“Who are you?” He whispered, his mind going to the ring she wore. “Have we met before?”

Sigyn nodded and bit her lip. “In another life,” she replied before spinning out and back again.

Thor simply stared at her as realisation began to wash over him. _No,_ he thought, _it couldn’t be, could it?_ Before he had a chance to find out for sure, the music came to an end.

Curtsying, Sigyn thanked him for the dance. “It was a pleasure, Your Highness and may I say, you are a fine dancer. But if you’ll excuse me, I’m in need of some fresh air.”

Thor nodded and watched her go. If she was who she claimed, then it would only be a matter of time before his brother realised too.

As he neared the table, he noticed that Loki was not there. Looking to his mother for a possible explanation, Thor was confused when Frigga shook her head and shrugged her shoulders.

~ ~ ~

The cool night air was exactly what he needed. Gatherings such as the one he had just left were never really his thing.

Two centuries had passed since her death. Since he had last seen her smile or heard her voice. Two hundred years without her and not a day went by that he did not think of her or see her in every aspect of his life. He heard her voice in the words he read. He smelled her scent in the flowers that grew around the palace and saw her eyes in the stars that sparkled at night. And now, he saw her hair in the coloured fabric of Lady Sigyn’s gown.

Soft footsteps announced the arrival of another and shook him from his thoughts.

Looking to his left, he saw Lady Sigyn emerge from the hall, the sounds of music and laughter following her. He watched her from the shadows, his presence unknown to her.

He watched as she came to a stop by the balcony railings, her pale hair turned silver by the moonlight. From where he stood, he could see her look down at her hands, both of which were rested on the balustrade. One hand touched the other, or more like, something on the other. Her shoulders heaved with a heavy breath and her eyes dropped closed for a split second before reopening.

 

Sigyn could not stop the tears that threatened to fall. Everytime she looked at the emeralds, she was reminded of the day the ring was given to her. So much had happened since that day. So much had changed. Ages had passed.

“My Lady?”

A soft voice drew her from her thoughts. Looking to her left, she saw Prince Loki emerge from the shadows.

Quickly drying her eyes, she smiled at him. “Your Highness? I was not aware that you were out here.”

“Balls were never really my scene,” he explained as he approached her.

“So what is your scene then?” She asked, her eyes searching his.

‘Solitude,” he replied with a slight smile. “When possible, I prefer my own company.”

“That sounds very peaceful,” Sigyn murmured, her eyes going distant. Her thumb unconsciously moving to her ring and tracing the well-known patterns.

“I’m sorry,” the Prince spoke up after a period of silence, drawing her attention to him. “But have we met before? It feels as though we have. But I have no recollection of that event.”

Sigyn inclined her head and smiled sadly. “It’s been centuries,” she murmured, “centuries since I have last seen you. Centuries since I have last heard your voice,” silver tears traced down her cheeks.

“I’m sorry?” Loki was confused, what was she talking about.

“The two years I spent looking for you are nothing compared the two hundred I spent apart from you, knowing exactly where you were.”

“What- what are you saying?” He hardly dared to believe what he was hearing.

“She said this would happen,” Sigyn spoke softly and looked down at her hands. “She told me not to expect miracles.”

“She being who?” Loki demanded, his voice trembling slightly.

“Hella,” Sigyn explained. “I begged her to allow my return. She told me that it would be likely that you wouldn’t believe me.”

Loki could do nothing but stare at her in open shock.

“That is why,” Sigyn continued, “I asked her if I could keep this as proof of who I was. Proof that you would believe me.” She held up her left hand and showed him the ring.

Loki honestly thought he was seeing things. There it was, the ring he had given Y/N all those years ago. The emeralds twinkled like green stars, teasing him.

“Do you remember what you said to me when you gave me this?” Her question drew his eyes to hers. “ _‘I can offer you nought else but my heart,_ ” she continued, his words flowing from her mouth. “ _It is yours for all eternity. In this_ _life and the next._ ’ ”

“Y/N?” He whispered, half expecting to wake from the dream he believed it to be.

She did not bother to stop the tears. It had been years since she had last been called by that name. Nodding, she smiled at him, “yes. Yes. My Love. It is I. It is I.”

The next thing she knew, she was in his arms. Her tears only increased as she returned the embrace, her eyes lifted to the stars.

“My angel,” he murmured over and over again. “My precious, beautiful angel.”

“My Love,” she responded, her words muffled by his dress uniform. Drawing back a little, she smiled up at him. “I told you, did I not, that we would spend all of eternity together? Did I not say that?”

“Yes,” he replied, his voice hoarse with emotion. “You did.” With those words he pulled her lips to his, their bodies molding into the other. Two halves finally made whole again.

 


End file.
